Very sadly I have received news that Tony Rampling recently passed away and did not quite make his 100th birthday
Tony Rampling
RIP
Tony was the last living veteran of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment who went over on D Day, fighting in NW Europe and bringing back information from beyond the front-line. This was courageous and often clever work. Reconnaissance were recruited for their wits and ingenuity, as well as fitness and military skills.
Tony's story is told with other soldiers of the 61st in this blog.
He landed shortly after D Day, fought in the Battle of Normandy, led the advance across France after Falaise, fought again in Belgium and then with the Guards crossing into the Netherlands to meet the Airborne Troops in Operation Market Garden. 61st Recce held the frontline between Nijmegen and Arnhem in the autumn of 1944 and were then due for disbandment because of their decimated numbers. Von Rundstedt's surprise invasion of the Ardennes sent them back into action alongside the Americans and Belgian SAS in the freezing conditions of a mountain winter. After driving back the German forces they were disbanded and sent to other regiments. Tony joined the 44th Royal Tank Regiment in 4th Armoured Division, entering Germany and crossing the Rhine in a DUKW to reach Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck before VE Day.
Tony's war medals include the Légion d'Honneur (above right) awarded to him in 2015 as a liberator of France.
“I think this was one of the worst, most difficult parts of the war – getting from the beaches to Caen, which they originally thought was going to be taken in the first day or two and it took about 40 odd days. Every day we were up the front, living in slit trenches.”
Tony was with 61st Recce's ‘B’ Squadron as they led the advance into Belgium:
Flowers and retreating Jerries
“As we went through villages people were stopping us, covering the vehicles with flowers, giving us bread, wine. As soon as we could we had to ditch the flowers.
I remember getting up into a church steeple and you could see the Jerries running and the vehicles retreating into the distance. This was a very pleasing sight.”
and with XXX Corps as they struggled to reach the British Airborne at Arnhem (Operation Market Garden). The route up to Arnhem was terrible – the US 101st Airborne called it ‘Hell’s Highway’.
“When the paras landed at Arnhem it was soon realised that it was going to be a disaster and we were ordered to get up to Arnhem as soon as possible.
We went along a route from Antwerp to Arnhem, getting over bridges etc, which were being shelled by the Germans and this route is now called ‘Hell’s Highway’ because of the incessant fire from mortars and shells. As we got to these bridges we had to go across very quickly and they had a break in between because the bridges were being shelled all the time.
As we got to Arnhem we managed to get to the landing zones which were littered with smashed up gliders, parachutes everywhere, on a place called Ginkel Heath, which was about a 3,000 acre area of shrub and gorseland – ideal landing zone. Everybody jumped out of their armoured cars, cut bits out of the parachutes to put round their necks. After having this coarse uniform it was some comfort to have a silk scarf.” From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61st Recce (pers comm).
Tony remainded a great source of stories about the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment until his passing, although his time during the war and immediately after when he was hospitalised for had been so traumatic he would not talk about it for fifteen years. Subsequently he joined a veteran's association and made many visits to Europe visiting battle sites and the graves of his old comrades. He built a successful potato marketing business in East Anglia with his brother and never lost his love of horses, owning and riding many. Tony leaves a wife, Susan, who cared for him through his later years, and three daughters.
Rest in Peace Tony. Thank you.
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