Jeremiah Frederick Lambert

A Private with 8th Bn., Jeremiah died on 31st of July 1917 at the age of 22. 

Jeremiah was born at Westhall, Suffolk, in 1895, a son of Robert and Alice Ann Lambert. In 1901 his family lived at Wicker Well Cottages, Somerleyton. By 1911 they had moved to 167 Saint Margarets Road Lowestoft.

During the First World War Jeremiah served in the Army and he joined the Suffolk Regiment. Initially he served with the 4th Battalion, number 3586, and was wounded, his name appearing in the official casualty of 7 September 1916. Once recovered he was posted to the 8th Battalion. 

In late July 1917 he was serving with C Company of the 8th Battalion who were in Belgium. On 31 July 1917 the 8th were involved in an attack on the German positions on the Ypres-Menin Road: this was the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele. On that day C Company were to move from Sanctuary Wood to take a position known as Surbiton Villas. The battalion lost men due to shell-fire while passing through Sanctuary Wood and when attacking the position at Surbiton Villas engaged in heavy fighting and had many casualties from enemy machine-gun and rifle fire.  

In the attack C Company had one officer and 13 men, including Jeremiah, killed, with 30 men wounded, and six men missing.