Lieut P. O. Lambly, M.C.

Northern Advocate, 21 May 1945, Page 5

Lieut P. O. Lambly, M.C.

(Special) KAITAIA, This Day Awarded the Military Cross for meritorious service, overseas, 2ndLieutenant Percy Overton (“Nip”) Lambly is a son ’of Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Lambly, of Oruru. Active in both football and cricket before his enlistment with the armed forces, he is well known throughout Northland.* Born in Mangonui, he was brought up on his parents’ farm at Oruru. being educated at the Oruru school, after which he commenced work as a truck driver, later starting trucking on his own account. Prior to his enlistment he was assisting on his parents’ farm. At different periods he was a member of the Awanui, Kaitaia and Oruru Rugby teams. Pie became a Mangonui County representative player, and, as a clever back, won North Auckland honours. Later he was chosen in a North Island Minor Unions’ team .which played a South Island team at Christchurch. In cricket also, he became a Mangonui representative, having been a member of the Mangonui and Peria clubs. Leaving New Zealand as a sergeant in 1941, a year after his first entry into the forces, he gained his promotion while serving overseas. Arriving in Egypt with a reinforcement draft, he participated in most of the subsequent campaigns of the New Zealand Division, and while at El Alamcin was wounded, spending five months in hospital. When the division crossed to Italy, he was again wounded, this time so seriously that he was returned to New Zealand with a sick and wounded draft, arriving in the Dominion by hosptal ship in November. He is at present convalescing on his father’s farm, after spending a- period in the military annexe of tne Auckland Hospital.