John Lamrock

Brigadier General John Lamrock CB VD
Born	25 December 1859 Kurrajong, New South Wales
Died	19 July 1935 (aged 75) Stanmore, New South Wales
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1915–1918
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands held	2nd Division 5th Infantry Brigade 20th Infantry Battalion
Battles/wars	First World War Gallipoli Campaign
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Volunteer Decoration Mentioned in Despatches
Other work	Secretary of the Moorefield Race Club

Brigadier General John Lamrock CB, VD^[1] (25 December 1859 – 19 July 1935) was a senior Australian soldier who served during World War I, and a horse racing administrator.^[2]

Early life

Lamrock was born at Kurrajong, New South Wales, one of seven children^[3] of Elizabeth (née Skuthorpe) and William Lamrock.^[4] He was educated at Newington College at Newington House on the Parramatta River at Silverwater, New South Wales (1873–1874)^[5] and Sydney Grammar School (1875–1877). After finishing his schooling he lived for many years in the Hawkesbury district and for a time served as a councillor and President of the Colo Shire Council. In 1885 he married Mary Bowman Cameron of Richmond, New South Wales.^[6]

Horse racing

In 1877, Lamrock became a member of the Hawkesbury Race Club^[7] and at the time of his death he was Chairman. He was a race meeting judge on the former Clarendon course, and for the Newcastle Jockey Club^[8] and the former Menangle Club. Lamrock was appointed secretary of the Moorefield Race Club in 1912 and remained in that position until early in 1935.^[9] Moorefield Racecourse opened in 1888 and was in the area bounded by President Avenue, Marshall Street and the Princes Highway, Kogarah, New South Wales,^[10] and was subdivided in the 1950s. Before and after the war, Lamrock lived at Glenroy, Kensington Street, Kogarah.^[11]

First World War

In April 1915, Lamrock was posted as a Lieutenant-Colonel in command of the 20th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, and remained in charge of that battalion until the completion of the Gallipoli Campaign. When he returned to Australia in 1916 he was appointed as the camp commandant at Liverpool, New South Wales.^[12] Having been Mentioned in Despatches he was later promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General and awarded the CB^[13] At war's end he returned to his role at Moorefield.

Death

Lamrock was a resident of Gladstone Parade, Lindfield, New South Wales, when he died post-operatively at Braeside Private Hospital, Stanmore. He was survived by his wife, Mary, daughters, Gwen and Ethel, and son, Alan.^[14]

References

1. "Brigadier General John Lamrock, CB, VD". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
2. "SOLDIER AND SPORTSMAN.". Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW: National Library of Australia). 26 July 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
3. "Search births to William and Elizabeth Lamrock 1850-1870". NSW BD&Ms. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
4. "Search births: John Lamrock 1858-1861". NSW BD&Ms. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
5. Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Sydney, 1999) pp119
6. "Search marriages: John Lamrock 1880-1900". NSW BD&Ms. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
7. "RACING FIGURE.". The Canberra Times (National Library of Australia). 20 July 1935. p. 1. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
8. "JOCKEY CLUB.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 7 June 1907. p. 6. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
9. "OBITUARY.". The Northern Standard (Darwin, NT: National Library of Australia). 23 July 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
10. A Brief History of Rockdale. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
11. The AIF Project – John Lamrock. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
12. "OBITUARY Brigadier-General Lamrock.". The Argus (Melbourne: National Library of Australia). 20 July 1935. p. 20. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
13. It's an Honour. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
14. "Family Notices.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 20 July 1935. p. 14. Retrieved 2 September 2012.