MILITARY HISTORY
PRIVATE HENRY HAMPTON – No. 108267 – Active Service (World War I)
On December 18th, 1914, Henry Hampton completed the Attestation Paper for the Canadian Active Service Force (CASF) at Medicine Hat, Alberta. He was 26 years old when, and unmarried, he enlisted for the duration of the War. Henry was born in Lakefield, Ontario and gave his birthdate as April 8th, 1888. He listed his present address as Lakefield, Ontario. Henry indicated that he had no previous military experience and he had not served in an Active Formation or Unit of The Canadian Army.
Private Hampton indicated he had previously worked as a farmer/rancher. He was described as standing 5 feet 11 inches, with a fair complexion and blue eyes.
Private Hampton was sent to England on June 12th, 1915, and transferred to 3rd C.M.R. (Canadian Mortar Regiment) on December 18, 1915 and sent to France.
History of 3rd Canadian Division
On June 24, 1915 the British Government enquired whether Canada could supply any more formed bodies of troops. It was decided that there were enough reserve and surplus troops already overseas and the 3rd Division began to form in France in December 1915. A shortage of artillery led to the guns of the 3rd (Lahore) Division of the Indian Corps being attached. The Division fought in many of the major actions of the war, including:
1916
The Battle of Mount Sorrel
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette
The Battle of Thiepval
The Battle of Le Transloy
The Battle of the Ancre Heights
1917
The Battle of Vimy
The Attack on La Coulotte
The Third Battle of the Scarpe (Henry wounded)
Operations towards Lens
The affairs south of Souchez river
The capture of Avion
The Battle of Hill 70
The Second Battle of Passchendaele (a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres)
Private Hampton was transferred to the 1st Canadian military Rifles in November 1915 and on December 31, 1916, during the Third Battle of the Scarpe, Private Hampton was wounded in the leg by shrapnel while in a trench during the offensive at Arras. He was operated on in France on January 3, 1917, and shipped to the Ontario Military Hospital in Orpington, Kent (England) on January 13th, 1917.
Private Hampton was deemed unfit for duty and shipped to Canada on the Hospital Ship Esquibo on February 19th, 1917.
Private Hampton was struck off on March 30th, 1917 but stayed in the Elmhurst Convalescent Hospital in Kingston until August 9, 1917, at which time he elected to discharge himself against doctors’ orders and returned home.
Private Hampton suffered permanent muscle weakness and physical disability from his war injuries. He had served 3 years and 3 months. Henry Hampton died on August 26th, 1953. He was eligible for the Volunteer Service Medal, British War Medal 1914-1920, and the Victory Medal 1914-1919.
An excerpt from an article in McLean’s magazine by Barbara Amiel, September 1996:
The military is the single calling in the world with job specifications that include a commitment to die for your nation. What could be more honorable?
PERSONAL HISTORY
HENRY HAMPTON
Henry Hampton was born in Dummer Township, Peterborough County on April 8, 1888, the son of Elizabeth Baigent and William Hampton. Henry received his education in the local schools and helped the family on the farm. After 1901, Henry and his brothers William and Isaac decided to go west and look for work on the large prairie farms. On December 18, 1914, Henry went to Medicine Hat, Alberta, and enlisted to serve his King and County. His two brothers soon followed him.
In 1917 Henry was sent home to the Elmhurst Convalescent Hospital in Kingston and after several months there, Henry discharged himself and headed home to Alberta. Henry married Ella Christina Scott, daughter of Isabella and William J. Scott. Ella was born in Innisfail, Red Deer, Alberta on December 6, 1900. They made their home in Medicine Hat, Alberta for a time then moved to Cawston, B.C. Henry passed away on August 26, 1953 and is buried in the Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver, B.C. Ella died in Penticton, B.C. on January 19, 1965 and is buried in the Cawston Community Cemetery in Cawston, B.C.
FAMILY HISTORY OF HENRY HAMPTON
The maternal grandfather of Henry Hampton was George Baigent.
The paternal grandfather of Henry Hampton was George Hampton. He was born in England in 1812 and worked as a stone mason. Apparently, Colonel Samuel Strickland wrote to George Hampton in England and asked him to come to Lakefield to build the Christ Church in the village of Lakefield. George Hampton came from England with his young married son William Hampton and his wife Elizabeth Baigent and together George and William helped built Christ Church. George passed away on June 28, 1873 and is buried in Hillside Cemetery in Lakefield, ON
The parents of Henry Hampton were Elizabeth Baigent born on December 29, 1855 in England and William Hampton born on August 6, 1850 in England. They married in England on April 15, 1872 and William was a stone mason by trade. William and Elizabeth came to Canada. They settled in Dummer Township where William farmed and worked as a stone mason until 1901. They had a family of fourteen children – Louisa Elizabeth, Herbert, Philip George, Richard “John”, Mary Jane “Mae”, Emma Eliza, William “Bill”, Henry, Amelia, Isaac, Alice “Ethel”, Frederick, Grace Caroline and Milford Charles Hampton. After 1901 the family moved to the 10th concession of Smith Township. Sadly Elizabeth suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and passed away on March 22, 1929. William suffered from chronic asthma and died on July 25, 1929; both are buried in the Hillside Cemetery in Lakefield, Ontario.
Another son Isaac Hampton enlisted to serve in March of 1916. Sadly Isaac was reported missing in action in France and presumed dead on August 16, 1917, age 27 years. Private Hampton is remembered with honour on the Vimy Memorial Cemetery in France.