LAMB, Ralph John


No.536874, Leading Aircraftman, Ralph John LAMB
Aged 27


9 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Killed in Action on Friday, 12th April 1940


Ralph John LAMB was born on 8th January 1913 (Newcastle upon Tyne Q1-1913 10B:179 ) son of Ralph and Margaret Annie LAMB (née DONALSON).

He had sisters Margaret A [1914}, Isabella [1917] and Elizabeth [1922] and a brother George [1920],all born in Newcastle upon Tyne.

He married Kate Vera PARKER [22-2-1914] on 21st October 1939 in the Old Independent Church, Haverhill. (Newmarket Q4 4A:4479). Their son Ralph John was born after his father's death.

In the 1939 register his wife to be ( a machinist in cotton clothing) was living at 27 Hamlet Road, Haverhill, with her widowed mother Alice sister Jessie [24-12-1909] to become Mrs SWAIN, and brother Philip S [20-1-1920} an assistant in cycle and radio shop. No closed records.



The following details are from Aircrew Remembered www.aircrewremembered.com and wedding photo courtesy Donna Bush.

9 Squadron were operating from RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland, moving there from RAF Honington on 2nd April 1940. At 09:20 on 12th April 1940, together with 8 other aircraft of 9 Squadron, Vickers Wellington Mk 1a ser no P2520, call sign WS-U took off to attack enemy cruisers off the coast of Norway. poor weather kept them low and they were met with heavy flak and intercepted by Luftwaffe fighters. The bad weather had led to some aircraft falling behind the main force, WS-U being one of them, last seen a few miles off the coast of Norway at 13:05.

The crew, all lost, were:- Pilot - Sgt Charles BOWEN; Navigator - Sgt James Aitchison; Air Bmdr - Sgt William BALMER; W/Op/Air Gnr- LAC Ralph "Spike"LAMB; Air Gunner - AC1 Percy RICKETTS; Air Gunner - LAC John WILKES.

It was Ralph's 12th mission. As early as day two of the war, as part of Sgt Bowen's crew (Wellington sn 4262), he had flown on a mission to attack German battleships near the Kiel Canal.


Pre war 9 Squadron Wellingtons, they changed to call sign WS at the start of the war




photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Ralph Lamb is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey panel 23

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


BACK to Haverhill home page