Lambert, Andrew

Andrew Walter Lambert, known as Andy, was born in Inglewood on 28 May 1916, one of ten children of Harry Lambert (1870-1948) and Elizabeth Ada Lambert (nee Ford) (1875-1924). His mother, known as Ada, died in 1924 when Andy was just seven and he and the rest of his siblings were raised by their father, who never remarried.

Andy met Florinda (Floss) Louisa Voitre (1920-2007) while she was teaching at Pukeho, near Tarata, where his father Harry was chairman of the school committee. He and Floss married on 19 August 1942 and had three sons, Ronald, Neil and Ross. Their eldest, Ron, went on to become Director of Taranaki Museum, now Puke Ariki.

Andy was working as a drover at Tarata, presiding over the Pukeho-Tarata Young Farmers’ Club, when he was called up for service in the Second World War in May 1941.

His brother Robert appeared before the No.3 Armed Forces Appeal Board at a hearing in New Plymouth on 11 September of that year, explaining that he and Andy were caring for 300 ewes, 20 dairy cows, 30 horses and other stock between them on their 50 acres. Robert’s name had also been drawn in the ballot but the brothers had decided that Andy “would serve the farm best, hence the appeal on the grounds of… undue hardship”. Andy secured a release from military service until the end of the current dairy season but was required to remain in the Home Guard in the meantime.

He eventually entered training camp in June 1942 and served with the Infantry Reinforcements of the Second NZEF until he was wounded in North Africa and invalided back to New Zealand on a hospital ship in July 1943. He arrived home in Taranaki by train on 17 July 1943 and was later awarded the War Medal 1939-1945 and the New Zealand Service War Medal.

Andy and Floss farmed in Inglewood, on a returned serviceman’s farm on Bedford Road, until they retired in 1979 and went to live in Inglewood town.

Andy died on 18 January 1999 at the age of 82 and is buried at Tarata Cemetery.