Cpl 28912 Houghton Fielden Lamb

Houghton Fielden Lamb was born in the September quarter of 1892, the eldest son of James William Lamb and his wife Florence Houghton Warnock (née Fielden). James, born in Worcestershire, and Florence, born in Liverpool, married in Liverpool in 1889 and had six children.  Houghton had an elder sister Dorothy, born in 1891, and younger siblings Florence Ellen born in 1893, William Norman 1895, Alfred James 1897 (died at 9 months), and Dudley born in 1902.  The family was Non Conformist.

 

In 1901 the family are living at 14 Marlborough Road, Tuebrook, with four children and a servant. His father is a cotton salesman, Houghton is 8. Also in the household is his widowed maternal grandmother, Mary Fielden, 66.

 

By 1911 the family have moved to 91 Moscow Drive, Stoneycroft.  His father, 44, is a cotton salesman, his mother is 50, Dorothy, 20, is assisting in housework, Houghton is 18, an apprentice in the cotton trade, Florence, 17, is apprentice in the costume trade, Norman, 15, apprentice in the oil trade, and Dudley, 8, is at school.

 

Houghton enlisted in the 17th (Pals) Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment, as Private 15266.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 07^th November 1915

It is not known when he was promoted to Corporal, or when he transferred to the 8th Battalion of The King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, and given the regimental number 28912.

Whether with the 17th K.L.R. or the 8th Bn K.O.R.L., Houghton would have taken part in the Battle of the Somme, including Guillemont, Arras, Passchendaele, and the German Spring Offensive.

On the 27th September the 8th Battalion K.O.R.L. took part in an attack near Flesquières. 

Houghton was killed in action during this attack on 27th September 1918.

He now rests at Lowrie Cemetery, Havrincourt, Pas de Calais. 

Havrincourt village was stormed by the 62nd (West Riding) Division on 20 November 1917. It was lost on 23 March 1918, but it was retaken on 12 September by the 62nd Division, who held it against a counter-attack the following day. Lowrie Cemetery was made by the 3rd Division Burial Officer at the beginning of October 1918, and named after him. The original 211 burials, were increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields on all sides of Havrincourt. Most of the men buried in the cemetery died in September 1918. The cemetery now contains 251 First World War burials, 47 of them unidentified. The cemetery was designed by N A Rew.

 

His parents placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on 11th October 1918:

“September 27, killed in action, Corporal H. F. Lamb, aged 26 years, dearly-beloved son of J. W. Lamb, 91 Moscow Drive, Stoneycroft.” 

Houghton earned his three medals.

His parents, still at 91 Moscow Drive, StoneyCroft, received his effects, including a War Gratuity of £19-10s.