LAMPORT, William Edgar

DIVISIONAL UNIT:  3rd Canadian Infantry Division 8th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles - Victoria  Canadian Infantry Corps                                   
CEMETERY:  Drummond Cemetery - Raillencourt - Nord - France  I     A     20 
MOTHER:    Mrs. Hannah Lamport - Hindville - Alberta                                                                                                  Personal:  Height was 5'  8" with a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair.

William was born in Exeter - Stephen / Usborne Townships - County of Huron. It is not known at what point in his life that he and his family moved to western Canada. We do at the time of his enlistment that his profession was that of rancher and that he enlisted in Vernon - British Columbia. 
His family (mother) was living in Hindville in Alberta. Upon his enlistment we know his height to be 5" 8", he had a dark complexion, had blue eyes and dark brown hair and that he was a Methodist. 

Private Lamport had embarked from Canada on the SS Lapland and arrived in Liverpool on July 25, 1916. At the end of November he transferred to the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles based at Witley Camp - Surrey and then shortly following this he went overseas into France and on January 2, 1917 Private Lamport joined his unit in the field.

On September 29th, Sergeant Lamport was in charge of his platoon and the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles were situated at Neuville St Remy and were preparing to advance. The objective was the capture of the Marcoing Line and the advance would begin from the crossroads in the village of Bourlon. "C" Company was left assault with "D" Company being right assault with "B" Company supporting and "A" being reserve.
The 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles had advanced following the Brigade artillery but the barrage was 1,400 yards ahead of the infantry and it was also behind the enemy positions. The 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles then found themselves under heavy enemy machine gun fire from the front and left. Now they came upon a heavy belt of enemy wire and as they tried to make their way through this obstacle they began to take very heavy casualties.but at 6:15 am that morning the advance was halted because the Lewis gun limbers needed to be unloaded, but at this moment the enemy artillery opened up on their position and casualties were taken. 
Following the unloading of the limbers the advance continued to the north and the enemy artillery again fell onto their positions with high explosive shells and gas shells and additional casualties were taken. They continued to move until they reached the Cambrai-Arras Road and at this time a heavy mist came down. 
At 8: 30 am they again encountered enemy machine gun fire and "C" Company along with a Company from the 49th Battalion assisted "D" Company and again heavy casualties were taken. "C" Company had to deal with enemy machine gun nests but were successful in eliminating this threat. They found the enemy to be very heavy along the railway line and the Lewis guns forced the enemy to retire. They then found it was not possible to advance on the left flank by the Douai Road as it was open and a line of posts connecting with the 42nd Battalion were set up. 
"A" Company was then brought up from reserve and established their line but they were taking heavy enemy fire from St Ole and Tiloy. By 2 pm the enemy was resisting strongly and a line was then established by "B & D" Companies and the 49th Battalion. 
By 5: 40 pm the enemy was still holding the area around the railway and orders were then received that the 8th Brigade would again continue the attack in the morning and the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles then consolidated their positions.  

During the advance onto Neuville St Remy they had reached their objective and this is when an enemy shell burst nearby and Sergeant Lamport was struck by the flying shrapnel and died on the battlefield.