For sale is a set of medals comprising 1914 – 15 Star impressed named 62 PTE N.C. AMPT. 4 L.H.R. A.I.F.: British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18) impressed named 2 LIEUT. N.C. AMPT. They come with copies of service records, war diary extracts, newspaper articles, medal rolls, and MIC.

2nd Lieutenant Norman Crosland Ampt was born on 26/11/1889 in Bradford, Yorkshire. He emigrated to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1909 and was working as a station manager when the Great War broke out. Having previously served for 2 years with the 5th Battalion of the Border Regiment (Territorials), he enlisted into the 4th Light Horse Regiment on 25/8/1914 with the service #62.

He deployed with the regiment to Egypt departing Australia on 19/10/1914. He was commissioned into the 1st Battalion Border Regiment (who were in Alexandria) on 8/4/1915 as a 2nd Lieutenant.

The 1st Battalion embarked on the 8/4/1915 and on the 12th landing at Mudros Bay. For the next 10 days the Battalion remained here training in rowing and landing boats, this fortnight would have been vital to Amp to get to know his troops and practice commanding a platoon.

The battalion landed at ‘X’ Beach, Cape Helles on the 25th of April, the casualty list for this day being 2 officers and 25 NCOs and other ranks killed; 3 officers and 78 other ranks wounded. He survived the attack on Krithia on the 28th of April which cost he battalion another 4 officers and 25 other ranks killed, and 5 officers and 131 other ranks wounded. The battalion was withdrawn for a short period of rest and rebuilding in July before returning to Cape Helles.

It was withdrawn and inserted at Suvla Bay on the 17th of August preparing for the attack on the 21st.  The orders were specific 'Hill 70 must be taken'.

"The brigade attacked Hill 70 on a frontage of 400 yards from behind the line now held by the King's Own Scottish Borderers. The artillery bombardment commenced at 2.30pm, and at 3.30pm, a covering fire was also commenced by the King’s Own Scottish Borderers in which 2 machine guns. The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers lead the assault with the 1st Borders in support. By 5pm Lieutenant Clague was 500 yards from the objective but was unable to proceed any further. D Company had advanced to within 50 yards of the objective, that being the summit of the hill but needed reinforcements and had no contact with anyone on either of its flanks.

The South Wales Borderers reinforced the Borders and with the extra men managed to take Hill 70. All were met with heavy machine gun, rifle and shrapnel fire from a troublesome knoll located to the left of the hill. By this stage only Lieutenant Clague, out of the 15 officers taking part, remained unwounded by that evening. The position was untenable due to the inability to dig in and was subsequently evacuated that night. The action cost the battalion 38 officers and men killed, 14 officers and 274 other ranks wounded with another 64 missing (killed). Ampt being one of the wounded by shrapnel fire. Evacuated to a hospital ship he died the next day and was buried at sea.