Trafford

Born during the June quarter 1896 in the Altrincham R.D. - ref: 8a/210,
actually born at knutsford, the son of William & Annie Hewitt.     The
birth registered under the name CHARLES ARTHUR HEWITT.

1891 Census - 30 Bedford Street, Oldham.  Charles is not yet born, but his
mother - Annie Hewitt is residing there with her husband - William Hewitt -
aged: 40 - occ: Labourer - born: Cheshire.  Also listed are their four
children, aged: 6 yrs, 5yrs, 3yrs, and 5 months.

1901 Census - 45 Leicester Street, Northwich, Cheshire.   Son - (CHARLES
LAMBERT) - aged: 6 (born 1895) - born: Knutsford, Cheshire.   Head of
household - James Lambert - Married - aged: 37 - occ: Timber Carrier's
Teamsman - born: Acton Bridge, Cheshire.   Also - Annie Lambert - Wife -
aged: 33 - born: Knutsford.   Plus Charles' 3 sisters - Eva, Rose & Elsie. 
  All listed as LAMBERT's.

Charles' WO363 records state that his father died in 1906 and was buried at
Oldham.   There is only one William Hewitt that fits and he died during the
September quarter 1905 in the Oldham R.D.

1911 Census - 22 Darley Street, Sale.    Son - (CHARLES HEWITT) - aged: 14
(born 1897) - occ: Shop Assistant at Ironmongers - born: Knutsford.    Head
of household - William Hewitt - Married - aged: 25 - occ: Labourer on
Railway - born: Knutsford.   Also William's wife - Lily Hewitt - aged: 23 -
occ: Day Cleaning Domestic - born: Knutsford.  Plus Charles' mother - Annie
Lambert - Married - aged: 50 - occ: Day Cleaning Domestic - born:
Knutsford.  Plus one full sibling and two half siblings, plus William.

This has been a most difficult record to unravel.  Charles is listed as 'C.
Lambert' on the Sale Town War Memorial and on St. Paul's Memorial, but as
'C.A. Hewitt-Lambert' on the Sale U.R.C. Memorial and as 'G.A.
Hewitt-Lambert' on the Sale Evangelical Memorial, leaving me to believe
that there were two separate Lamberts - Charles and perhaps a George Alfred
Lambert.  However, with Michael Riley, St. Paul's P.C. Archivist pointing
me in the right direction, I now believe these to be one of the same people
- Charles Arthur Lambert.

The CWGC list his age as 26, meaning that he was born in 1893 - another red
herring, as it would appear from census returns that he was born in either
1895 or 1897 - BMD's state 1896.    Another problem is that I have not been
able to trace any marriage record for his parents - William & Annie Hewitt.
  Neither have I been able to find his father's (William Hewitt) death, nor
his mother's marriage to James Lambert.

WO363 - Enlisted as charles LAMBERT at Altrincham on the 4th September
1914.   He was aged: 19 years, 128 days and resided at 14 Roebuck Lane,
Sale.  He was employed as an Iron Driller by Charles Richards & Company,
Broadheath.   He was 5 feet 5 1/4 inches in height, weighed 113 1/2 lb and
had chest measurements of 32 to 34 inches.   He had a Fresh complexion -
Brownish eyes and brown hair.

Promoted to the rank of Corporal on the 1st October 1914 - 2 weeks after
enlisting!   Whilst at Winchester, he was charged "That on the 27th May
1915 with refusing to obey an order and using obscene language to a senior
NCO".  For this lapse of discipline, he was reduced to the ranks.    At
Aldershot he was deprived of 5 days pay for cursing an NCO.

Posted to France on the 28th September 1915 and embarked at Folkestone.   
He was deprived of 15 days pay for some unspecified misdemeanor in the
field, on the 29th December 1915.

On the 25th August 1919, the War Office wrote to his mother enquiring who
his father was as this had been left off form W.5080 that they required her
to complete.  Her reply was received at Shrewsbury stated that her husband
was William Hewitt and that he had died in 1906 and was buried at Oldham. 
The letter was signed by W.E. Cliffe, 52 Roebuck Lane, Sale.   W.E. Cliffe
also signed the original W. 5980 form that listed hiis mother - Annie
Lambert and his siblings - William (Willie) residing at Albion Street, Sale
- Elsie, Annie, Eva and Rose, all residing at 14 Roebuck Lane.   W.E.
Cliffe was Wilfred Cliffe, the son of John & Annie Cliffe and was born in
1895 - the same age as Charles - a friend of Charles????

The story as I now see it...................William Hewitt married Annie
????? c1885.  They produced four children - Annie E. in 1885 - William H.
in 1886 - Eva in 1888 and Rose in 1890 - all Hewitt's, each born at
Knutsford except Rose who was born at Oldham where the family resided in
1891.   William Snr. died sometime between 1896 and 1900 - I believe that
it was in 1905 (WO363)and was buried at Oldham..  Annie next appears on the
1901 Census residing at Northwich as the wife of James Lambert and now has
two more children - Elsie Hewitt born in 1894 and Charles Arthur Hewitt in
1896.   James Lambert, simply vanishes after 1901 and according to family,
he was not too popular. 
  
His mother and three of her children next move to 22 Darley Street, Sale
where, in 1911 her eldest son - William Hewitt and his wife Lily Hewitt
reside, with William as the head of the household.   Annie, now Annie
Lambert being listed as his mother and her children being recorded as
brother or sister of William and ALL being listed under the name HEWITT
except for his mother.   

Hopefully, this gives some explanation as to where the name Hewitt appears
on the war memorials - it was his actual birth name.  But WHY did he adopt
the name LAMBERT???   Why was he and his siblings called Lambert in 1901
and Hewitt in 1911?  

Lt. J.A. Simmons wrote to his mother stating that he had been killed
instantly by shell fire, whist in charge of a machine gun position in the
front trench.

CWGC (Post-War) - Aged 26, the only son of Annie Lambert, of 6, Renshaw's
Cottages, Roebuck Lane, Sale, Cheshire.

Listed in the Guardian Year Book - Roll of Honour for 1917, which states
that he was a Corporal and aged 21.

John Hartley's "Stockport 1914-1918" website-
http://www.stockport1914-1918.co.uk - includes a section detailing the
actions that the Stockport men were involved in.   John has kindly given me
permission to use some of his material.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"After a short period away from the front line, the Cheshires returned to
the trenches near Mont-St-Eloi, on 17 May 1916 This a small village 8
kilometres north west of the French town of Arras, named after the nearby
hill. The Cheshires' trenches were at the foot of the hill, near the hamlet
of Ecoivres.   It was a comparatively quiet sector although casualties
could be expected on an almost daily basis.

At about 10pm, on 18 May, a localised attack by the Germans was made
against the Cheshires' positions. They captured the outposts which were a
little way into No Man's Land and also positions being held on the lip of a
crater made by the explosion of an artillery shell. A counter-attack was
organised immediately and there was severe hand-to-hand fighting. The
Cheshires managed to recapture the nearer outpost line but could not retake
the crater.

This meant the Germans now had troops very close to the Cheshires' own
front line. The next day, the Battalion's War Diary records "Some shelling
and trench mortar fire during the morning and afternoon". At 9.15pm, the
Cheshires attacked the German's holding the crater and part of the outpost
line. This was successful in driving the enemy back to their own trench.
During the day, Joseph Barlow and John Edwards had been killed. Another
eight were also dead.

The 20th May 1916 was marked by continuous German shelling throughout the
day. The headquarters of "A" and "D" Companies were both hit and that of
"A" was set on fire. It was fairly quiet during the hours of darkness but
grenades were thrown intermittently at the troops in the outpost line".