Pte 31191 John Herbert Lammie

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 27th June 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.K.5

SDGW gives his name as John Henry Lammie; his medal card says John H. Lammie; CWGC has it as J. H. Lammie; but his Birth Registration and the 1911 Census entry completed by his father show his name as John Herbert. John Herbert was born in the January quarter of 1895 in Liverpool. He was the eldest of three children born to John Lammie, an ironmonger’s shopkeeper, and his first wife, Ada Sarah (nee Ward) who had married in 1894. John was educated at Liverpool Collegiate School from 1906.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 17 Milton Road, Liverpool. His father, John, is aged 32, born in Peterborough in 1869 is an ironmonger, whilst his mother, Ada, is aged 29, born 1872 in Eccleshall, Staffordshire and has no occupation listed. They have two children at the time of the Census, John Herbert aged 6, born 1895 and Evelyn May aged 1, born 1900 and both were born in Liverpool. They also have a domestic servant living with them Margaret Fazenfield aged 18, born 1883 in Liverpool. 

His mother, Ada, died aged 34, in 1905 and was buried on the 14th December 1905 at West Derby Cemetery, her address at the time of her death was 388 Edge Lane. 

His father John remarried in 1910 to Amy Janet (nee Iles) in Birmingham.

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 66 Russian Drive, Stoneycroft, Liverpool. His father John is now aged 42, is an ironmonger/ shop-keeper and his wife Amy Janet is aged 29, born 1882 in Birmingham and has no occupation listed. They have been married for under a year and have three children living with them at the time of the Census; John Herbert aged 15, Evelyn May aged 11 and Eric William aged 9, born 1902 are all at school. They also have a domestic servant living with them Sarah Jane Chorley aged 19, born 1892 in Cumberland and also a visitor named Elsie May Holton aged 30, born 1881 in Birmingham with no occupation listed.

John junior’s service record is not available but his medal record shows only two medals, although this may be an error. We know that he was serving with the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 31191 when he was killed in action on 27^th June 1916 aged only 21 years.

The British bombardment of the German lines, in preparation for the ‘Big Push’, began on 24th June 1916. On the 26th the German counter-barrage begins and inflicts quite serious losses on the 17th and 20th battalions.

The 17th Bn War Diary for 26th/27th June shows “heavy enemy bombardment of front line trenches.  Casualties: Killed O.R. 17, Wounded O.R. 57”

John Herbert was one of those referred to in the diary who was killed in action on 27^th June 1916, aged 21.

He was buried close to where he fell in Maricourt Military Cemetery and his grave marked with a cross.  The cemetery was at the south-east corner of the village, on the road to Clery. It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron. It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July 1916.  After the war when graves were concentrated his body was removed and reinterred in Cerisy-Gailly Cemetery where he now rests.

His headstone bears the epitaph:

"TILL THE DAY BREAKS"

Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme. and the following small cemeteries:- MARICOURT MILITARY CEMETERY was at the South-East corner of the village, on the road to Clery. It was begun by French troops in December, 1914, and was known to the French by the name of Ferme Caudron. It was taken over by British troops in August, 1915, and used until July, 1916. It contained the graves of 887 French soldiers, 260 from the United Kingdom and six German. 

The cemetery now contains 745 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 114 of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties buried at Maricourt and Ste. Helene whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo 14/7/1916

– Lammie – June 27 Killed in Action age 21years, son of Mr & Mrs John Lammie of 21, Prospect Vale, Fairfield .

Daily Post 13th July 1916 Killed in Action 

Lammie – June 27 age 21 years John Herbert Lammie (Pals). The dearly loved eldest son of Mr & Mrs John Lammie, 21 Prospect Vale Fairfield (Also Echo 12th & 13th July 1916)

Liverpool Daily Post 13th July 1916

Lammie – June 27 Killed in action age 21 John Herbert Lammie (Pals) The dearly loved eldest son of Mr & Mrs John Lammie, 21 Prospect Vale, Fairfield. 

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo 14th July 1916

– Lammie – June 27 Killed in Action age 21years, son of Mr & Mrs John Lammie of 21, Prospect Vale, Fairfield .


CWGC shows John as the son of John Lammie of ‘Cranford’, Upton, Birkenhead.


LAMMIE - In loving memory of Private J.H. Lammie (Bert) K.L.R., killed in action, June 27th, 1916. The dearly loved eldest son of Mr and Mrs John Lammie, late 21 Prospect Vale (Fairfield).

(1914 Gores has John Lammie at 21 Prospect Vale, Fairfield, an ironmonger).

Soldiers effects to his father John and sister Evelyn May.

John is commemorated on the London And Lancashire Fire Insurance Co. Ltd. Book located at Liverpool Central Library. 

We currently have no further information on John Herbert Lammie. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.