Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
John William Lambton was born December 9th 1874 the son of George Lambton born 1846 in Sherburn Hill and his wife Margaret Smith born 1848 in Killingworth Northumberland. His parents were married June 1868 in the district of Durham and John William was one of 6 surviving children, (1 deceased), 4 boys and 2 girls. His father worked as a coal miner and settled with the family at Chester Moor where all the male members of the family also worked at the colliery. In 1898 John William Lambton married Elizabeth Carr, they had 5 children, 3 of whom died in infancy, their 2 surviving children where Thomas born 1903 and George 1910. In 1911 he and his family were living at 5, Bannerman Terrace, Ushaw Moor.
John William’s full military record does not exist but there are other documents that have helped to piece together his military career. He worked as a miner at Windlestone Colliery for Pease & Partners, listed in their memorial documents as an Able Seaman. Most probably he first enlisted in a local regiment and was transferred to the Naval Reserve when there was an excess of enlisted men, however there is not a single Naval fatality of WW1 with the name of Lambton with initials W. or J. W. At some point John William was subsequently transferred to the Royal Army Medical Corp, this may well have been because he was no longer fit enough to serve at the front but still capable of serving his country in this capacity. He was assigned as Private 401491 to the 2nd/1st West Riding Field Ambulance R.A.M.C. based in Salonika, Greece. Private 401491 John William Lambton died of malaria October 15th 1917 and is interred at Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, grave 1229, Salonika, Greece. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The C.W.G.C. gives his age as 35 his actual age was 43. Just as younger men lied about their age to enlist, older men did the same to appear younger and serve their country. His widow Elizabeth, who was living at 30, Havelock Street, North Road, Darlington, paid 7/10 (seven shillings and ten pence) for additional words to be added to his gravestone and it reads, DEATH DIVIDES BUT MEMORY CLINGS.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
John William Lambton is remembered at Chilton on C107.04, C107.12 and C107.14 (Darlington D40.039)
