On Sunday
September 3rd 1939,Harold Lambert , who was living in
Melton Mowbray at the time, was cycling (his abiding interest)
with friends near Alton Towers in Staffordshire. A railway
signalman, opening Crossing gates told them that war had
been declared and "to enjoy it while they could!", and
for the next 8 months or so, Harold and his friends did
enjoy that period, cycling the length and breadth of the
country during there free time, stopping in Youth Hostels,
and thinking nothing of 100 mile plus day trips on their
cycles. A side effect of these excursions, was the development
of levels of fitness and stamina, that Harold said would
keep him alive during the war.
Harold`s Soldier's
Service Book shows that he enlisted, no doubt with the help
of call up papers,"for the duration of the war" on 17th
July 1940 at Nottingham.
At his medical 2 days later, Harold
was passed A1, although some time before he took part in
"Operation Thursday" (the Chindit invasion of Burma, he
along with all the other Chindits would have been reclassified
as A1+.
The 7th Battalion of the Leicestershire
Regiment had been formed at Nottingham on 4th July 1940,
one of 60 new Infantry Battalions raised after the collapse
of France. It recruited primarily form the industries of
Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, and its intake of around
1300 men was in the age range of 27 to 28.
