Pte. Albert W. Tamblin

93^rd Peterborough Battalion/5^th Canadian Mounted Rifles

Regimental Number 195568

Albert Tamblin with son John Henry,
Daughters Prudence Elizabeth and Ina Jane on his knee 

Albert Wellington Tamblin was born on June 26^th, 1877 in Dummer Township, Ontario. He was the son of Agnes and Robert Tamblin   

Albert was living at 56 Victoria Avenue, Peterborough and working as a stone mason, when he enlisted as a Private with the 93^rd Battalion in that city on January 21^st, 1916.  He indicated that he had one year previous service with the 46^th militia regiment and 5 years with the Peterborough 57^th Militia Regiment.  Albert was a widower and left three children in the care of his mother Agnes, who he also named as his next of kin.  Tamblin was 38 years old and stood 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 105 pounds. He had a light complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair.  He listed his religion as the Church of England.  He passed his medical inspection and was declared fit for overseas service.

Tamblin remained with the 93^rd throughout the winter of 1916 until it had recruited up to battalion strength and left for Barrifield Camp at the end of May.  At the Canadian forces training camp, the 93^rd received more training before heading west by train to the post of Halifax and departing aboard the Empress of Britain on July 15^th.  After an eleven day trip across the Atlantic, Tamblin and his battalion arrived safely in England where they were posted to the Canadian camp at West Sandling.

At Sandling, the 93^rd received the disappointing news that it was to be broken up and its ranks dispersed among the Canadian battalions already fighting at the front.  On September 8^th, 1916, Pte. Tamblin would be one of a number of 93^rd men who would be drafted to the ranks of the 5^th Canadian Mounted Rifles, an infantry unit which at that time was engaged in brutal fighting at the Somme.

Tamblin and comrades made their way to France, first joining the 3^rd Entrenching Battalion upon landing for two weeks, then making their way to the 5^th Mounted Rifles on October 2^nd, to replace the shocking casualties it had taken in the horrific fighting over the past several weeks.  Tamblin joined B Company of the 5^th in the rest camp of Albert as it spent the next week re-fitting and introducing the raw recruits into the battle-hardened battalion.

Tamblin would experience his first taste of trench warfare when the battalion entered the front line in the early hours of the night on October 10^th.  Over the next two days his nerves would have been put to the test as Canadian and German artillery pounded each other incessantly.  Though the 5^th CMR was not involved in any attacks it did take casualties from shelling, snipers and machine-gun fire.  Tamblin and his unit were relieved form the front line 2 days later and returned to the rest camp on the 12^th. 

During his next tour at the front, on October 14^th, Albert was reportedly injured with a contusion of the testicles.  His service recovered does not indicate the origin of the injury, though the battalion records describe heavy shelling that day.  What is apparent was that the injury was significant enough to warrant his evacuation to the general hospital at La Havre and an additional seven days to recover.

Tamblin's grave marker.
with two unknown soldiers.

Tamblin was discharged from hospital on Oct 21^st and re-joined the 5^th Mounted Rifles, still on the Somme front.  Though the battalion would not be part of any of the continuing larger scale attacks, they did see action through regular rotation into the front line.  Enemy shelling, raids, patrols, snipers and sweeping machine-gun fire meant a steady rate of casualties.

December 7^th, 1916, the 5^th Mounted Rifles were posted in the front line near Arras.
Records report that an enemy rifle grenade was shot into the trenches and wounded 3 men in B Company.  Of these was Albert Tamblin, who was hit by shrapnel in the chest and abdomen.  He was evacuated to the No. 30 Casualty Clearing Station behind the lines but succumbed to his wounds the next day.

He was buried by his comrades at Aubingy Communal Cemetery the next day. He was survived by three children, John, Prudence and Ina.

Sources
Canada. "Military Service File of Albert Tamblin." Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa: Record Group 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 9493 - 48. Item Number 267233.