John Lamb

'Y' 19th Trench Mortar Battery, Royal Field Artillery, Sergeant John Lamb M.M., Croix de Guerre, enlisted at Nottingham. He was awarded the medals during the Battle of the Ancre in 1917. He was injured at Breaugies by an enemy shell while 'superintending the watering of some animals', sustaining fractures of the left arm and leg with severe loss of blood. He was treated initially at a Field Ambulance but died of his wounds on 8th November 1918 before reaching a Casualty Clearing Station. He was buried in Awoingt British Cemetery, near Cambrai, France (grave ref. II. G. 27). CWGC - History of Awoingt British Cemetery (extract): 'The cemetery was begun in the latter half of October 1918 and used until the middle of December; the village had been captured on 9/10 October. By 28 October, the 38th, 45th and 59th Casualty Clearing Stations were posted in the neighbourhood, and the great majority of the burials were made from those hospitals.' (www.cwgc.org)

John's widow, Susan, was awarded a pension of 27 shillings and 11 pence a week with effect from 26th May 1919. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: His wife Susan Lamb was his sole legatee. WW1 Pension Ledgers Index Cards: named his widow Susan and children Thomas and John, residence Hucknall Torkard, Nottinghamshire. His decorations were presented to his two children in Hucknall on 14th July 1919. Report published in the South Notts Echo, 19th July 1919 :- “A WARRIOR BOLD. “Little Sons Decorated with Fallen Father's Medals... “The Hucknall Council Chamber on Monday evening was the scene of a little ceremony which was not without a touch of pathos, two medals being pinned on the breasts of the little sons of Sergt. J. Lamb, who died on November 12 (sic) last from wounds received four days previously. Mrs, Lamb was present and also two other relatives of the family. “On their being admitted into the room Councillor Barker, J.P., chairman, said since their last meeting peace had been signed with Germany, for which they were extremely thankful, and hoped that peace would soon be signed with all the other powers with whom we have been at war. This happy consummation we owed undoubtedly to our gallant fellows who have been in the Field, and while they rejoiced that so many of them had come back — some well and others wounded — they mourned for those who had fallen. The little ceremony that night was connected with one of the latter. He had received two medals which had been won by Sergt. J. Lamb. He did not know the conditions under which the medals had been won, but from a letter which had been received from a companion they were won during the battle of the Ancre in 1917. They congratulated Mrs. Lamb on having such a gallant husband who had nobly done his duty, and he offered the fullest sympathy of the Council and all the citizens of the town on the loss which she has sustained. “Mr. Barker then pinned the Military Medal on the breast of the elder son and the Croix de Guerre (awarded by the French Government) on the younger son. In addition he presented Mrs, Lamb with a cheque of £5. “Mr. Foster said such an occasion caused them to think with respect to the peace celebrations, and whatever thoughts they had it was impossible to bring back her husband. He knew the deceased a little, and considered he was one of the best men to go from Hucknall, and it was really heartrending for little lads to lose their father. They could do the next best thing — show their appreciation of a brave man who had laid down his life for them, and express hope that such a world tragedy would never occur again. “Mr. George Ellington wished to endorse what had been said. He enlisted front his place, and he could assure them that he was a valuable servant, and they were all looking forward to his early return. Mr. Slater joined in the sympathetic references to Mrs. Lamb, as did Mr. Haslam, who said he held the deceased soldier in the highest esteem. “A relative briefly returned thanks for the Council's kindness and sympathy. “Sergt. Lamb, who was 33 years of age, and whose wife and two sons reside in Henry street, Hucknall, was in the Trench Mortars connected with the Royal Field Artillery. He was employed as farm foreman by Mr. George Ellington, farmer and butcher, previous to which he was the farm bailiff for his uncle Mr. A. Lamb, of Gedling. He had been connected with agricultural work all his life till he joined the Army in December, 1914. In the following July he crossed the Channel, and with the exception of furloughs did duty in France till November 8, when he received his mortal wounds. In 1916 his sleeve was blown off, and he was wounded in the arm. He stuck to his guns in more senses than one, and on his last furlough — a fortnight before the armistice — he assured his friends that all would soon be over and he would return. However, the hand of fate has prevented that union, and it is pathetic to relate that he should die when the military chiefs had penned their signatures to the Armistice. Sergt. Lamb was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Lamb, and his death makes the sixth loss on his wife's side. “Amongst the letters received by Mrs. Lamb is the following from Capt. S. F. M. Cumming: — “Dear Mrs. Lamb, — It is with very real sorrow that I have to confirm the news which has no doubt already reached you that your husband has succumbed to the injuries which he received when wounded on November 8. I fully realise what a terrible blow this must be to you, and the thought which comes to me next is that the whole thing was so unfortunate, as it happened just as hostilities were about to cease. “While it cannot possibly bring you any comfort, it may perhaps afford you some small satisfaction to know the circumstances. While we were at the village of Breaugies (near Bavai), during the forenoon of the eighth, an enemy shell landed close to the spot where your husband was superintending the watering of some animals. He sustained a fracture of both the left arm and leg, and suffered much from loss of blood. He received immediate attention and was conveyed without delay in an ambulance to the nearest Field Ambulance. Though obviously in considerable pain, he was exceedingly plucky, even to a point of cheerfulness. I saw him away, little thinking that his injuries were so severe as to cause his death before he reached the Casualty Clearing Station. From the official notice which arrived this morning, it appears that he must have passed through the Field Ambulance, and being evacuated by them, was sent to the Casualty Clearing Station, but died before reaching that destination. “After all that your husband had come through, it is, as I said, especially sad that he should have become a casualty when the prospect of peace was so near. I can only say that your own grief is shared by everyone in the Battery. I have only commanded the Battery since the end of September, but during the whole time of my association with it I found your husband a loyal and helpful comrade. We miss him exceedingly, and I wish to assure you of our whole-hearted sympathy with you in your loss. — Believe me, yours very truly.” Above courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918