In Memory of

Lance Corporal Horace Hamblett

1392
1st/4th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment
Died of Wounds 13th September 1915 Age 20

Horace was the son of William and Elizabeth Jane Hamblett of 60, Wargrave Road, Earlestown. According to his obituaries in the Newton and Earlestown Guardian (17th September 1915) and the Warrington Guardian (18th September 1915), he was educated at the Earlestown District School, while on Sundays he attended Wargrave School, being a member of the Bible Class. He worked as a fitter at the Vulcan Foundry before war broke out. He was an enthusiastic footballer and was connected with Wargrave Football Club.

Horace was a member of the Territorials and was drafted to France in February 1915. News of his death reached Newton firstly with C.S.M. Sutton who was on leave. According to the two obituaries, his death was confirmed in a letter dated September 12th, (i.e. a day before the date given by CWGC) from his brother (the District School Roll of Honour lists a Sam Hamblett of the 4th South Lancs immediately below Horace) who informed their parents that "Horace was killed last night (i.e. 11th September) while coming out of the trenches ... He suffered no pain, as he was shot in the head and was unconscious all the time."

A further letter to his parents from an officer, published in NEG on September 24th, said that Horace "... died this morning from a bullet wound in the head received last night ... It is the hardest stroke of fortune that he should have been struck by a bullet which wounded another man before striking your son."

The Battalion Diary gives an account of the period when Horace died. He is buried at Dickebusch New Military Cemetery which is a few kilometres south east of Ieper town centre.