The AIF Project

John James LAMB

Regimental number3574
Place of birthGeelong, Victoria
SchoolLower Leigh Road State School, Victoria
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationFarmer
AddressMother, Mrs Ada Harriett, Lamb, Ceres via Geelong, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 3"
Weight125 lbs
Next of kinFather, J Lamb, Ceres via Geelong, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date24 July 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll15 July 1915
Place of enlistmentGeelong, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name22nd Battalion, 8th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/39/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A19 Afric on 5 January 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll58th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Age at death from cemetery records19
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 14), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
166
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: John and Ada LAMB, Ceres, Victoria. Native of Barrabool, Victoria
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Allotted to, and proceeded to 57th from 6th Training Bn, Zeitoun, 23 February 1916; taken on strength of 57th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 23 February 1916.

Admitted to No 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, Tel el Kebir, 26 February 1916 (diphtheria contact); discharged and rejoined unit, 9 March 1916.

Transferred to 58th Bn, 15 March 1916; taken on strength of 58th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 15 March 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Now, 22 November 1916, reported 'Wounded and Missing, 19 July 1916'.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 September 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 1540605, 3634 Pte A. SMITH, 58th Bn, 28 February 1917: 'I think the date should be July 15th. I saw him just after he was killed at Fleurbaix, and carried him down to the Pioneers for burial. He was buried in the cemetery at Fleurbaix ... '

Second statement, 3555 Pte E. HILL, att. 5th Pioneer Bn from 58th Bn, 4 March 1917: 'He was killed in the first wave going over at Fromelles by shrapnel. I saw this and also his dead body. He was buried in the same cemetery as [3531 C.R.] Glew.'

Third statement, Pte G. PIKE, 2 April 1917: '[He] was in a charge on the 19th July and there was no news of him until the 8th August. In our Batt. orders of that date he was reported killed in action. His body was found out in No Man's Land and his personal belongings, pay book etc. were taken out of the pockets and sent on to his people and received by them. As far as I can find out, his body was not buried.'

Fourth statement, 1972 Pte J.H. LAMB, D Company, 58th Bn, 16 May 1917: 'He was killed by a shell at Fleurbaix out in No Man's Land during the daytime. I was about 20 yards from him at the time. His body was left there as we retired back to our trenches and we never got our dead in.'

Fifth statement, 3395 Pte J. McLAUCHLAN, 58th Bn, 27 June 1917: 'Casualty was killed on the 19th July at Fleurbaix. Shot through the chest. I saw the body which was not buried.'

Sixth statement, 1972 Pte J.H. LAMB, 58th Bn, 27 July 1917: 'While we were engaged in making [a] communications trench between our front line trench and a German trench which had been previously captured, Pte J.J. Lamb was hit and killed by a shell[.] As we had to retire soon afterwards Pte Lamb was not buried by our men.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, LAMB John James
Red Cross file 1540605

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