2nd Lieutenant Ronald Henry SAMPSON
122nd Siege Battery, 66th Brigade, Royal Garrison Artillery

Date of birth: 19th June 1898
Date of death: 30th August 1918

Killed in action aged 20
Buried at Boyelles Communal Cemetery Extension Plot II Row G Grave 3
Ronald Henry Sampson was born at 11 Rawlinson Road, St Giles, Oxford on the 19th of June 1898 the eldest son of Charles Henry Sampson, Principal and Fellow of Brasenose College Oxford, and Margaret Caroline Sophia (nee Bolckow) Sampson of 11 Rawlinson Road, Oxford. He was baptised at St Margaret's Church in North Oxford on the 28th of July 1898.

He was educated at Fonthill School in Sussex and at Lancing College where he was in News House from September 1911 to September 1912 and in Fields House until December 1916. He was appointed as a House Captain and as a Prefect in September 1915. He was appointed as Head of House in September 1916 and was a Sergeant in the Officer Training Corps. He achieved his School Certificate in 1913 and his Higher Certificate in 1914, 1915 and 1916. He was a Librarian and was also a member of the choir.

On leaving school he was accepted at Oriel College Oxford with a view to taking Holy Orders but instead, he decided to join the army. While still at school, he applied for a commission on the 19th of November 1916 in an application which was supported by the Reverend Bowlby, Headmaster of Lancing College, and by Captain Adam Fox, Commanding Officer of the Lancing College Officer Training Corps. He underwent a medical examination at the Eastern Command Depot at Shoreham on the 18th of December 1916 at which it was recorded that he was six feet and one inch tall.

He entered the army as Gunner 197568 in the Royal Field Artillery and was posted to an Officer Cadet Battalion at St John's Wood on the 15th of February 1917. He went on to Trowbridge Cadet School for the Royal Garrison Artillery following which he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 10th of December 1917. He landed in France on the 13th of January 1918 and was killed in action the following August.

HIs father received the following telegram dated the 3rd of September 1918: -

"Deeply regret 2/Lt R.H. Sampson 122 Siege Bty RGA killed in action August thirtieth. The Army Council express sympathy."

He is commemorated on the war memorial at St Margaret's Church, North Oxford and on the Oriel College roll of honour.

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