Squadron Leader James Fielden Lambert

JAMES FIELDEN LAMBERT was born 8th April, 1917, and was the only son of Archie Naylor Lambert and Jessie Lambert, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Both of his parents were born in Halifax, Yorkshire.

Jim attended Kelvin High School from 1932-1934 and then studied Pre-Engineering at the University of Manitoba for one year. He was taking a bookkeeping course at the Dominion Business College and must have taken to it as he went on to take two years of classes in Chartered Accountancy at the University of Manitoba. Jim was interested in a variety of sports and was a member of the Winnipeg Canoe Club, taking part in “competitive paddling.”

From 1937 until 1939, Jim worked for Sharpe, Woodley and Co. Chartered Accountants as an audit clerk, but aviation seemed to catch his interest and he  left for New York City to “take a course in commercial aviation.” During this time he spent six weeks of the summer working odd jobs at Floyd Bennett airport and taking flying lessons, before returning to Canada and joining the RCAF. 

A year later he was called up and completed his training at Camp Borden, graduating as a Sergeant Pilot in April 1941. The following month he was posted overseas, to Britain, and joined 130 squadron at RAF Warmwell in July.

From April until September 1942, “Jim” served in Malta with 185 squadron, where he was shot down and wounded. During his time on the Island, Lambert was “a good fighter pilot,” according to Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park, A.O.C. R.A.F. Mediterranean.

He was posted back to Britain as an instructor, before returning to operational flying with 416 squadron on 23rd June 1943, then 403 squadron on 16th October (as Flight Lieutenant) and finally to 421 squadron on 13th December, as Acting Squadron Leader.

Lambert was on his third tour of operations when he was killed in action on 20th December 1943, just over two weeks after his wedding to Miss Peggy Mabel Carpenter at St. Andrew’s Church, Limpsfield Chart. (Peggy, known as Pam, was a WAAF Corporal whose address was given as HQ 229 Group SEAAF, England, at the time of Jim’s death). According to the squadron diary, Jimmy had appeared with his “hair combed and buttons shined,” – the squadron had been released for the day and, at the wedding reception, had “descended like a pack of vultures on the alcoholic part of the food.”

At 10am, on the 20th December, James Lambert took off from Kenley leading his squadron for the first time on Ramrod 375. When they reached Merville, they were attacked by 18 Me.109s and 20 FW.190s – a huge dogfight ensued.

F/O DeCourcy, Lambert’s No.2, was on his tail as they entered the fray:

“We attacked and I followed S/L Lambert (Black3) down. He fired on a 109 above cloud, went through, fired again and the aircraft disintegrated. This is destroyed. Black three then went up and down through cloud until I lost him. This Me.109 is claimed as destroyed for S/L Lambert.” (Intelligence report)

Towards the end of the dogfight, DeCourcy heard Lambert ask for a homing over the R/T. This was the last heard of him or his Spitfire, MH903.

Adjutant Blondin, Commander of the Gendarmerie at Marcoing, a village 7km south-west of Cambrai,  recorded that two aircraft crashed in the area after an aerial combat on the morning of 20th December, 1943. A German aircraft came down in flames in Rumilly (Nord)  at a place called “L’épine,” with its pilot falling to earth 500 metres from the wreck of his aircraft.

Blondin identified the second aircraft as English, but it was, in fact, Spitfire MH903. Lambert was still in the cockpit when it crashed near Prémy chapel,  Marcoing.

Philippe Gorczynski’s family owned and worked a neighbouring field, and his Uncle, Stanis Gorczynski, was one of the first to reach the scene of the crash. He recalled that many of the villagers had been drawn outside by the noise of the dogfight raging overhead, but thankfully there were no civilian casualties as a result of the crash. The Spitfire was half buried facing the chapel with only the tail-end visible above ground. German soldiers arrived on the scene very promptly to inspect the wreck and prevented any civilians from approaching. Later some villagers were asked to help to extract the body of the pilot. The Germans continued to mount a guard at the crash site for a couple of days.

On 22nd December, 421 Squadron received a signal from Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air:

Congratulations to all taking part in the destruction on Monday of 7 enemy aircraft fighters. This resounding feat of arms coupled as it was with damage to three other enemy fighters makes a proud record in the annals of your Squadron. I grieve with you that your gallant leader is missing from this victorious engagement.

Squadron Leader James Fielden Lambert was laid to rest in Cambrai (Route de Solesmes) Communal Cemetery, where the inscription on his grave reads: 

So little time, but such a brave heart, you loved life so, it was sad to part.

Rest in peace Sir and thank you for your service.