ALFRED LAMBERT
Private, 10th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (Service Number: 316077)
Alfred Lambert was born on 18 Sep 1898 in Salford, Lancashire to Alfred Lambert, a foreman at the Institute for the Blind, originally from Lavenham, Suffolk and Maria Lambert née Lomas originally from Barrow, Lancashire. The Lambert family moved to Cardiff around 1907 and lived at 61 Clifton Street. Alfred served as a Private with the 10th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. He was reported missing in April 1918 and died on 22 Sep 1918 aged 20 whilst held a prisoner of war. He is buried at the Terlincthun British Cemetery (grave XVII. E. 3.). Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
WILLIAM HENRY LAMPERD
Private, 1st/14th Battalion, London Regiment (London Scottish) (Service Number: 515864)
William Henry Lamperd was born in 1890 in Penarth, the only child of John Lamperd, a baker, originally from Southampton, and Katherine Lamperd née Coles, originally from Burnham, Somerset. In the 1911 census the family were living in Harriet Street, Cogan and William was employed helping in the bakehouse. He married Alice Gwendoline Cook in 1915. Their daughter Olga Katherine Lamperd was born in Jan 1917. William served as a Private in the 1st/14th Battalion, London Regiment (London Scottish). He died on 24 Nov 1917 aged 27. He has no known grave. He is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial in France which remembers those fought in the Battle of Cambrai on the Western Front. He is also remembered on the Penarth War Memorial in Alexandra Park, St Augustine’s church war memorial plaque, Penarth and his parent’s grave at St Dochdwy’s Church, Llandough. His widow Alice remarried in 1921 and on her wedding certificate gave her address as 21 Clifton Street. This would explain William’s name (mis-spelt Lampurd) being included on the nearby Trinity Methodist memorial plaque. Maybe Clifton Street was where William and Alice set up home after getting married. Commonwealth War Grave Commission record.
VINCENT CLARKE LASHFORD
Second Lieutenant, 120 Squadron, Royal Air Force (Service Number 152618)
Vincent Clarke Lashford was born on 9th Dec 1893 in Cardiff. He was one of thirteen children born to Edgar George Frederick James Lashford, a commercial traveller selling fruit and potatoes, originally from Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, and Alice Mary Lashford née Parker originally from Reading. The family lived at 122 Richmond Road in 1911 and Vincent worked as a clerk. In May 1912 he emigrates to Canada leaving Bristol and arriving at Montreal. He enlists in the Canadian Officers Training Corps based at the University of Toronto in 1917 and transferred to the Flying Corps at Fort Worth, Texas, later the same year. He arrived in England at Easter 1918 but is killed in an accident on 30 May 1918, aged 24, on his last training flight prior to going to France. He was flying an R.E.8, a two-seat biplane out of Cramlington, which dived into the ground in Newcastle. He is buried at Cathays Cemetery (section D, grave 1053). He is remembered on a plaque in St Peters Catholic church in Roath, Cardiff and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
EMMANUEL COMBY LAVERICK
Master, S.S.Holmtown, Merchant Navy
Emmanuel Comby Laverick was born on 16 Oct 1853 in Redcar, Yorkshire to William Laverick, a hairdresser, originally from Whitby, Yorkshire, and Christina Porteus Laverick née Clark, originally from Redcar. In 1871, aged 17, Emmanuel was living with his uncle in Stockton and was already a mariner. He married Mary Hannah Harrison in 1881 and they went on to have four children together. The family moved to Cardiff in 1895 living at 40 Angus Street, Roath. They later moved to 1 Ilton Road, Pen-y-lan. On 25 Nov 1916 he was Master of the S.S.Emlynverne when it was attacked and sunk by U-Boat-18 but he and the crew survived. He returned to sea and was Master of S.S.Holmtown when it was attacked and sunk of the Devon coast on 6 Feb 1918 with the loss of all hands. His body was found washed ashore at Swanage, Dorset before being returned to Cardiff for burial at Cathays Cemetery (grave CE1811). Emmanuel was aged 64 when he was killed. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. His son William Leslie Laverick, also in the Merchant Navy, died in WWI. Both Emmanuel and Leslie are remembered on the St Edward’s War Memorial Plaque and were named on the Mackintosh Institute Roll of honour. The story of Emmanuel and Leslie Laverick is told by Peter Grant, grandson of William, in our Nov 2001 Newsletter.
WILLIAM LESLIE LAVERICK
Master, S.S.Petone, Merchant Navy
William Leslie Laverick (known to family as Leslie) was born in Middlesbrough on 2 Jan 1890 to Emmanuel Comby Laverick, a Master in the Merchant Navy and originally from Redcar, Yorkshire and Mary Hannah Laverick née Harrison originally from Norton, County Durham. The Laverick family moved to Cardiff when William was 5 years old living at 40 Angus Street before moving later to 1 Ilton Road. in 1905, at the age of 15, William followed his father’s footsteps into the Mercantile Marine as ship’s apprentice. Prior to this Leslie had received a very good education and had become fluent in French and Spanish. He qualified as 2nd Mate at the age of 19, and 1st Mate aged 20. He passed his Masters certificate and on 26 Nov 1912 becoming one of the youngest Ships Masters of his time. He married Margaret Amelia Jones in 1913 and they went on to have two daughters. They lived at 7 Senghenydd Place, Cathays. He was Captain of the S.S.Wolf when it was torpedoed in 1916 but the crew survived. The exact circumstances leading up to his death are not known though it is believed he was operating covertly for the French government, and while sailing with a French crew. It is believed the boat he was on was torpedoed by enemy action and sunk. It appears that the survivors were adrift for a long period of time and Leslie contracted pneumonia before being rescued and admitted to hospital at Rouen, where tragically he died on 11 July 1918 aged 28. His body was returned to Cardiff and he is buried in Cathays Cemetery close to his father’s grave who was killed the same year. He is remembered on St Edward’s War Memorial plaque and was remembered on the Mackintosh Institute Roll of Honour (now lost). The story of Emmanuel and Leslie Laverick is told by Peter Grant, grandson of Leslie, in our Nov 2001 Newsletter. Leslie’s name does not appear on a Commonwealth War Graves Commission record as it was decided by the Commission that it could not be established that he died as a direct result or injury caused by enemy action.
REGINALD WOLSTAN LEWIS
Private, 8th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment (Service Number 45072)
Reginald Wolstan Lewis was born in the summer of 1900 in Cardiff to Frederick William Lewis, originally from Newport and an accountant in a coal exporting and ship broking company, and Elizabeth Anne Lewis nee Morgan, originally from Cwmbran. The family lived in some of the grand streets of the time, Stacey Road (1901), Connaught Road (1911) and at 49 Richmond Road (1918). He enlisted in Farnborough joining the Royal Flying Corps at 16 and became A.M.I. (Wireless) (service no.67748); subsequently joined 1st Reserve Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) C Company in Nov 1917 and then the later the 8th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 24 Aug 1918 aged 18 on the western front in the Somme region of France and is buried at Bapaume Post Military Cemetery. He is also remembered in St Peter’s church, Cardiff with a plaque below the XI Station of the Cross. His parents also donated a Processional Cross to the church in 1922 in memory of their son. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.
Roath Local History Society 