LAMBERT, Allan


No.321349, Private, Allan LAMBERT
Aged 18


2nd/6th Battalion, City of London Regiment (Rifles)
Died of his Wounds on 6th September 1917


Allan Lambert was born in Bridgham, Norfolk (1st qtr 1899 Guiltcross 4b:254), son of Henry and Alice LAMBERT (née WHATLING)

1901 census...Aged 2, he was at Ixworth Road, Ixworth Thorpe with his father Henry LAMBERT [40] farm yardman born Cockfield; his mother Alice [40] born Denham; sister Ellen [12] born Cockfield; brothers John [10] born Cockfield, Henry [8] born Rattlesden, Frederick [6] born Ixworth Thorpe and Frank [4] born Ixworth Thorpe.

1911 census...Aged 12, he was at Barrack Row, Ixworth with his parents ( father cowman); sister Ellen (nurse); brothers John and Frederick both farm laburers and Frank (chemist's errand boy).

On the pension card his mother was at 4 Upper Farm, Back Road, Brightlingsea, Essex. After her death father was at 48 Beche Road, Colchester.

The family moved to Pakenham after 1911.


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds
2nd/6th (City of London) Battalion (Rifles):- Formed in London in August 1914. Moved in October to Walton-on-Thames, then Burgess Hill in November and came under orders of 2/1st London Brigade in 2/1st London Division.
Moved to Norwich in May 1915 and formation retitled as 174th Brigade in 58th (2/1st London) Division. Moved on to Ipswich next month, then Stowmarket and Sudbury and then to Sutton Veny in July 1916.
25 January 1917 : landed at Le Havre and on 31 January 1918 absorbed by 1/6th Battalion.



Usually, when dying of wounds and no service record found, it is impossible to say exactly where he was and when he was wounded. This time however the report in the Bury Free Press gives more details. The Battalion War Diary for 6th September has :-
YSER CANAL BANK ..night of 6/9 2 platoons of B Coy, 47 OR under Capt Webb and 2/Lt Hart raided the BLUNT SALIENT. Casualties were Capt Webb missing, 2/Lt Hart wounded, 15 OR wounded, 6 wounded at duty and 7 missing.


The raid failed to reach the objective trench ( just SE of Poelcapelle), due to officers becoming casualties at the start and the enemy occupying in strength the shell holes in front of their trench.

Allan died at No.47 C.C.S. (Dozinghem). Three Casualty Clearing Stations were set up north of Poperinghe and given nicknames by the troops which are better known than the real locations. They were at Haringe (Bandaghem), Proven (Mendinghem) and Krombeke (Dozinghem)





photo CWGC

Allan Lambert is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium 5:B:5

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


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