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2nd Lieutenant Geoffrey Fontaine LAMBERT
1/1st Battalion Hertfordshire Regiment Date of birth: 20th July 1894 Date of death: 15th April 1916 Died of wounds aged 21 Buried at St Sever Cemetery Rouen Officers Plot Row A Grave 2.8
Geoffrey Fontaine Lambert was born at Richmond in Surrey on the 20th of July 1894 the only child of Walter Lambert, a solicitor, and Florence Olga (nee Sherrard) Lambert of “St Merryn”, Manorgate Road, Kingston Hill in Surrey. He was christened at Richmond on the 30th of October 1894. He was educated at Lancing College where he was in News House from September 1908 and in Olds House from September 1910 until April 1911. On leaving school he was articled to C.B. Hepworth, solicitors of Coventry House, South Place, Finsbury in London EC. He played rugby for Rosslyn Park Rugby Football Club from 1911. He enlisted in the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps as Private C/1238 on the 23rd of September 1914. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Hertfordshire Regiment on the 2nd of March 1915 and was posted to the 2/1st Battalion. He landed in France on the 10th of July 1915 with a draft of 70 men and joined the1/1st Battalion in the field at Cuinchy on the 14th of July 1915. On the 1st of April 1916 his battalion relieved the 10th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment in trenches near Festubert and Geoffrey Lambert was wounded the same day. He died at British Red Cross Hospital No. 2 at Rouen two weeks later. Lieutenant Colonel Frank Page, in a letter dated Easter Day 1916, wrote:- "I feel I must write and tell you how distressed we all were to hear that your son had died on April 15th from his wounds received on the 1st. When he left us we were all confident that he would recover, and the sad news was a great shock to us. He was a fine soldier and a splendid comrade. Your sorrow is shared by us all. He has given his life in the great struggle of right against might, and nobly died a soldier's death. I am sure his sacrifice will not be in vain, Good Friday is followed by Easter Day. Your son was very popular with the men of his Platoon, who deeply feel his loss; and we all, officers and men, wish to express to you our heartfelt sympathy in your sad bereavement. I am glad to remember that a Herts officer and men were able to attend his funeral at Rouen and pay their last respects to their fallen comrade." Colonel Sir Charles Longmore, Commanding Officer of the 2/1st Battalion, wrote:- "It was with sincere sorrow that I heard of the death from wounds of your dear son. I understand that he behaved with great bravery, and he has given his young life for his country's good. I liked him very much when he served under my command, and, both being lawyers, we had much in common, and frequently had long talks on legal matters, with regard to which he showed great knowledge. I am afraid his early death must be a terrible blow to you, and only hope that you may like to hear that he gained the affection and esteem of this who served with him." Following his death the school instituted the "Geoffrey Lambert Science Prize". He is commemorated on the war memorial at Rosslyn Park Rugby Football Club.

Olds House