William Patrick Lambert was born on the 6th February 1910, in New York City, New York, in the United States of America, the son of John and Delia Lambert (née Gately). The family home was in New York. He had an older sister, Margaret Mary, who was born in July 1908, but who died a month after his birth.
In the spring of 1915, Delia Lambert, who had emigrated from Ireland in 1899, decided to return to her homeland, and take William with her, probably for a holiday, and consequently booked third class passage for them both on the May sailing of the Lusitania from New York to Liverpool. Also travelling with them was Delia’s brother, John Gately, who at that time was residing with the Lambert family.
Having left their home, the three of them arrived at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York harbour on the morning of 1st May 1915, in time to board - with ticket number 1681 - for the liner’s scheduled 10.00 a.m. departure. They then had to wait until the early afternoon for the liner to leave the port as she had to embark passengers, crew and cargo from the Anchor Liner Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty at the end of April, for service as troop ship.
Six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May 1915, the Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20 within sight of the coast of southern Ireland and only 250 miles away from her home port.
Both William Lambert and his mother were killed as a result of this action. He was only five years old. His uncle, John Gately, was the only survivor from the group.
On 21st May 1915, a letter was received at the Cunard office in Queenstown describing both of the missing family members, probably instigated by William’s father. The description of the boy stated: -
5 years 3 months. Dark hair. Wore Knickerbocker suit mixture of dark gray and brown, tan stockings black bottom shoes, gray chinchilla coat, green knitted cap. Gold ring with initials W.L.
A photograph of William and Delia Lambert was also enclosed with the letter, but despite this, none of the recovered bodies matched either the photograph or the description sent and as a result, William Lambert has no known grave.
Some of the records held by Cunard records show the boy’s forename to be Robert, but in view of the letter from his father and the inscribed initials on his ring, his name most definitely was William.
1910 U.S. Federal Census, Cunard Records, Freeman’s Journal, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/99, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Stuart Williamson, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.