Name: Edward Louis Lambert Rank: Gunner’s Mate Third Class Service Number: 6069386 Service: USS Turner (DD-648), US Navy Date of Birth: November 27, 1921 Place of Birth: Margaree Forks, Inverness Co. Cape Breton, NS Date of Enlistment: June 17, 1942 Place of Enlistment: Unknown Address at Enlistment: 13 Beech St, Newton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts Age at Enlistment: 20 Height: 5 feet, 6 inches Complexion: Dark Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Brown Occupation: working for the Comtor Company Marital Status: Single Next of Kin: Mary Lambert, mother Date of Death: January 8, 1944 Age: 22 Cemetery: Calvary Cemetery, Waltham, Mass. Edward Louis Lambert was the son of Louis Alexandre Lambert (1897-1965) and Marie Angelie (LeBlanc) Lambert (1901-2002). His father was born in Saint-Pierre, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, France; his mother – in Margaree Forks, NS. Edward had six siblings - Alice Angelica (1923–1998), Angelina ‘Mary’ (1925–1968), Mary Philomena (1926–2010), Paul Alexander (1929–2018), Alfred Leon (1935–2001), and David Allen (1943–2005). Edward and his family moved from Cape Breton to the United States in November 1923. Edward registered for the US Draft on February 15, 1942, and was working for the Comtor Company (manufacturing instruments, gages, etc.) in Waltham, Middlesex Co., Mass. He enlisted four months later in June 1942. In 1944, Edward was assigned to the crew of the USS Cooper (DD-695), an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, which had not yet been launched. It was slated to be launched February 9, and commissioned March 27, 1944. The ship was in New York harbour in January. Also at New York at the time was the USS Turner, a Gleaves-class destroyer. It had completed three convoys to Europe and had returned to port in New York on January 1, 1944. It arrived off Ambrose Light late on January 2 and anchored. Early the following morning, January 3, the destroyer suffered a series of shattering internal explosions. By 06:50, the ship took on a 16° starboard list; and explosions, mostly in the ammunition stowage areas, continued to stagger the stricken destroyer. Then, at about 07:50, a singularly violent explosion caused the ship to capsize and sink. The tip of the USS Turner’s bow remained above water until about 08:27 when it disappeared completely taking with it 15 officers and 123 men. Edward Lambert responded to the disaster and was injured in the second explosion aboard the USS Turner. Gunner’s Mate Third Class Edward Louis Lambert died of injuries at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Brooklyn, New York on January 8, 1944. He was interred at the Calvary Cemetery in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Sources maritimequest.com