Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Richard Henry Tompkins


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was   delete. Shimeru (talk) 08:23, 8 April 2010 (UTC)

Richard Henry Tompkins

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The article doesn't seem to assert sufficient notability as either a soldier or molecular biologist. Clarityfiend (talk) 22:45, 1 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Military-related deletion discussions.  -- • Gene93k (talk) 00:25, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Science-related deletion discussions.  -- • Gene93k (talk) 00:25, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of People-related deletion discussions.  -- • Gene93k (talk) 00:26, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
 * delete no evidence of any published papers, at least in Scopus.  DGG ( talk ) 00:57, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

After serving in both WWI and WWII and receiving the British Empire Medal I belive notibility as a soldier has been established. I have added a copy of his Military Medical Record downloaded from the U.K. National Archives as additional proof of his service. There is also a link to the London Gazette announcing him as a recipient of the British Empire Medal - Medal of the Order of the British Empire. Thank you --Richard Jordana 16:22, 2 April 2010 (UTC)  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Richjordana (talk • contribs)
 * Comment. As a rule, only the highest awards for valor (Victoria Cross, Medal of Honor) automatically qualify the recipient (see WP:MILPEOPLE for general guidelines); the British Empire Medal by itself isn't enough. Also, quite a few people served in both world wars, so that doesn't do it either. Clarityfiend (talk) 20:20, 2 April 2010 (UTC)

Maybe the combination of the B.E.M. and serving in both World Wars would qualify him? I'm not sure who in Wikipedia makes these sort of decisions? One last query... If you decide to delete him, would he no longer appear under the B.E.M. recipients page? Category:Recipients of the British Empire Medal --Richard Jordana 20:40, 2 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Reply. Immediate decisions are made by the voters and administrators lurking hereabouts. If you want to plead your case for getting the criteria changed, try WikiProject Military history. And yes, he would no longer show up in the category. If you check out the other recipients, you'll see that they qualify for achievements other than the BEM. Clarityfiend (talk) 21:34, 2 April 2010 (UTC)


 * Delete Lacks coverage needed in reliable sources to establish notability per WP:BIO Nick-D (talk) 23:09, 3 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Delete the combination of military service and a BEM is not enough to establish notability under WP:MILPEOPLE. His military career, although noble and worth remembering in my opinion, is probably similar to many thousands of men and women of his generation, thus the Military History project's standards have been set quite high in terms of decorations and notability. Thus, if Mr Tompkins is to be considered notable it would probably be because of his work in molecular biology. However, as the article is written it does not provide a positive statement as to his contributions in this field, so I don't believe it passes WP:GNG. — AustralianRupert (talk) 01:22, 4 April 2010 (UTC)


 * I've been in contact with Medical Research in Cambridge. They have informed me that the BEM was not for Military duty but for Civilian service.  He was nominated by a Nobel Peace Prize winner for his duty to his country.  They will be forwarding the details to me along with the information at the crypt at St. Pauls Cathedral in London. I have added (Civilian Division) after BEM so I'm assuming that the article shouldn't be in the Military-related deletion discussions?  --Richard Jordana 16:50, 4 April 2010 (UTC)  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Richjordana (talk • contribs)


 * Delete the London Gazette describes him as a porter when he was awarded the BEM so it was probably in recognition of his many years service at the Laboratory. Although I suspect a long and hard working career and he did his bit during both wars like thousands of others, he does not appear to be notable in wikipedia terms. MilborneOne (talk) 13:40, 5 April 2010 (UTC)
 * Delete per prior comments. --Tagishsimon (talk) 13:42, 5 April 2010 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.