LAMBERT, Arthur Henry

Arthur Lambert was the oldest son of Mr and Mrs Lambert of 127 Hagley Road, Oldswinford. He attended Oldswinford C of E School and went on to Stourbridge Grammar School. He was also a very active member of St. Mary's church congregation. He helped to run a business which specialised in restoring paintings and repairing picture frames. After enlistment and training he was posted to 331st Brigade Royal Field Artillery in the 66th (East Lancashire) Division. At the start of 1918 they were on the Hindenburg Line near St. Quentin and facing the anticipated German Spring offensive. On the 21st March the German attack started with a massive artillery bombardment but at the end of the first day the situation of the 66th Division seemed stable. On the 22nd, however, an early mist helped to mask the German attack starting at 4 a.m. Infantry positions were outflanked and by 2 p.m. the whole army was in retreat. Gunner Arthur Lambert was one of thousands of British troops taken prisoner and sent off to camps in Germany. It is likely, too, that he had been injured. Four months later he died in hospital at Hamelin and was eventually buried at Niederzwehren Cemetery (X D 15), near Kassel, a British cemetery for prisoners who had died of wounds. St. Mary's parish magazine for September 1918 included the following paragraph about him, 'We remember him as a Choir Boy, a Sunday School Teacher, a Scoutmaster, a Bible Class Conductor and a Sidesman of our Parish Church. Besides these offices he acted as Secretary of our Branch of the Church of England Men's Society. He was a most valuable helper in the Church Work of the parish, and we have never ceased to miss him since the day came for him to obey the call of his country.' An unusual memorial to him was placed in the church by his wife, Elizabeth, in the form of a brass altar book stand. It remains on the altar today. He was 35 years of age and is commemorated on the Stourbridge, Oldswinford church, Oldswinford C of E School and King Edward VI College Memorials.