Lamont William John Piper 2759608

Personnel Entry

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Name Lamont William John
Army number 2759608
Rank Piper
Decorations M.M, 1939-45 Star, Italy Star.
Date of birth 12-Jan-20 (family information indicates 20/1/1920).
Age 64 at the time of his death.
Unit Enlisted in the Black Watch in early 1939 as a Regular soldier (exact date not yet confirmed). Posted to ? Battalion. Posted 1 TS - presumably after 1/2/1940. Served BEF - disembarked France 24/4/1940. Reported Missing 21/5/1940. Captured 1/6/1940 Cambrai (notified as having been captured 3/9/1940 but no indication of location). Escaped from Loekeren 4/8/1940. Recaptured in unoccupied France. Escaped for a second time 15/4/1941. Reached Gibraltar and evacuated to the UK - arriving Greenock 14/6/1941. Posted to No. 8 Infantry Training Centre (Perth) as a returned PoW. Posted 10th Battalion Black Watch 9/10/1941. Joined draft for Overseas Service 11/11/1943. Disembarked 27/4/1943. Served Middle East. Posted 6th Battalion Black Watch. Served Central Mediterranean Force - Italy. Struck off strength Middle East Force on return to the UK 1/4/1946. Disembarked UK 11/6/1946. Released 11/6/1946. Posted to the Class Z Reserve 19/9/46.
Company/Battery
Platoon or other sub-unit
Task or role Piper.
Joined Brigade Thought to have been shortly after 1/2/1940.
Promotions Promoted Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal 24/9/1944. Returned to rank of Private at own request 27/10/1944.
Wounded Admitted to No. 53 General Hospital 21/8/1945, discharged back to 6th Battalion 27/8/1945. Admitted to No. 53 General Hospital 14/11/1945 and discharged back to Battalion 26/11/1945 (condition details not known).
Prisoner of War PoW Loekeren, Belgium and in Unoccupied France before his second escape.
Died/Killed in action 25/1/1984.
Home address 20, Mansfield Street, Leslie, Fife. Worked as a painter and decorator. Married Josephine C Thomas Q1 1948, Swansea. Emigrated to Australia.
Source table 1TS

Sincere thanks are due to Piper Lamont's granddaughter for family and Service Record information and photographs. These images are set out below and are quite typical Army "group" shots.

Piper Lamont is believed to be the soldier in kilted dress

1st Tyneside Scottish Pipes and Drums. Photo may well have been taken on 13/4/1940 along with other Battalion photographs at Burt Terrace, Gateshead. Cpl Drummer Lapsley is also visible in the group

Piper Lamont and an unrecognised comrade. Given the tropical dress this is presumably taken in the Middle East

800px|thumb|centre|A more relaxed group with pet dogs in the shot - location unknown