Maurice William Lamb was born on 9th September 1895 at Kirkby Overblow, the son of Bertha Lamb, and a grandson of Allan and Mary Lamb. Bertha would later marry Herbert Taylor on 19th September 1900 at St. James' Church, Woodside. The 1911 Census records Maurice as a 15-year-old farm labourer working at Low Snaith, Walton Head.
Maurice went overseas as early in the war as 24th September 1914 and was posted to the 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment as part of the battalion's first reinforcement following the Battle of the Aisne. Over the following twenty months, he earned successive promotions to reach the rank of sergeant.
On the night of 3rd/4th June 1916, the battalion made a successful but costly attack on a German-held trench north of Ypres. The story of that night is recorded in the battalion war diary:
Battalion in Brigade Reserve. The 18th Infantry Brigade received orders on the 27th May, 1916 to seize, on the night of the 3rd/4th June, and hold OLD BRITISH TRENCH from C.13.b.6.6. to C.7.d.3.4., Map ST. JULIEN (about 450x) which had been previously evacuated by another division, and was now lightly held by the Germans. The Brigadier selected the 1st Battalion West Yorkshire Regt. for this enterprise. The commanding officer decided to carry this out with Letter “C” Company made up to 200 strong from “D” Company, and to wire the front with 40 other ranks of “B” Company - this company also to provide carriers for stores to consolidate, and 25 men of “D” Company (under 2nd Lieut. E. J. RENDALL) to fill sandbags at one end two nights previous to the enterprise. “A” Company was kept in tail as Battalion Reserve.
Close reconnaissance of the position, which was in parts 450 yards from the trench held by the brigade, was started nightly from 29th May - The first two nights N. 9728 Lance Sgt. WARD reconnoitred with an N.C.Os. patrol - On the following night officers patrols went out. Each platoon commander reconnoitred the sector his platoon was to seize, and the company commander the whole ground generally. Orders for the attack attached.
On the night in question these orders were carried out successfully to the letter, except that it was just not possible to wire just in front of Point 98 in the German line, 80 yards away, owing to the deadly fire of machine guns and rifles at this close range. The parapet opposite this point had been obliterated for a distance of 30 yards by our own heavy shells during the afternoon, which had also smashed Point 98 out of recognition. At 12 midnight we were able to inform the 18th Infantry Brigade that the position was captured and consolidation had commenced - the only resistance met with was on the right and left sectors, but the rifle and machine-gun fire throughout the night was most deadly, especially in the gap in the right sector. Here 2nd Lieutenant C. T. K. NEWTON, platoon commander, was immediately killed, and No. 7197 Sergt. F. COLES, “C” Company, bombing sergeant, was severely wounded, and there was slight confusion. 2nd Lieutenant W. K. MARSHALL came over from the other side of the gap and organised the platoon.
Casualties were as follows:-
Killed:- 2nd Lieutenant C. T. K. NEWTON, 5 sergeants and 5 other ranks. Wounded:- 2 sergeants, 24 other ranks. This list includes 5 sergeants killed, and 2 sergeants wounded, a very heavy percentage, and one we could ill afford. At the beginning of the war, all these sergeants were privates, and had worked their way up by hard work and merit. The battalion was kept in the line until further orders to consolidate the position won.
Among the five sergeants who lost their lives on the night of 3rd/4th June 1916 was Maurice William Lamb. He lies buried at Essex Farm Cemetery, on the opposite side of the Yser Canal from where he was killed. Maurice is also commemorated at Pannal.
[Note: trench map coordinates can be located on a modern map using the excellent tmapper resource.]