World War One survivors

Pte. William Lobban, 4th Gordon Highlanders (Regimental number 3197, later renumbered as 200851) .

A notice was posted recently in the Scottish Military Research Group Facebook page about a book for sale. It had been owned by a William Lobban, who served with the 4th Gordon Highlanders throughout the war. The book is a three-volume set called I Was There!–Undying Memories of 1914–1918. I am hoping to find information to allow me to place this soldier in the Lobban family tree. The address appears to be 22 Rhindmuir Avenue, Baillieston (Glasgow), Lanarkshire. Private Lobban earned the three war medals known as “Pip, Squeak and Wilfred”: Victory, British and Star.

William’s Lobban’s inscription on copy of I Was There!

There was a second Pte. William Lobban (12921 / 612877), in the Gordons Labour Corps, who earned the Victory and British medals. Another Pte William Lobban served in the Seaforth Highlanders (S/15186), Gordon Highlanders (S/11235) and finally Highland Light Infantry (28380). He also earned the Victory and British medals.

Lobban brothers from Hopeman, Morayshire. James Lobban (408570, Sgt., Machine Gun Corps) (b. 13 June 1888) married in Edinburgh during the war and settled back in Hopeman afterwards; he was a tailor. William Lobban (3197539, Pte., 116th Reserve Batallion Canadians) (b. 16 May 1890) had emigrated to Canada and was living in Port Credit, Ontario when he was called up, 30 Oct. 1917; he was a fisherman. (Rothiemay Area Lobbans)

The Lobban brothers from Archiestown. From Morayshire Roll of Honor, https://digital.nls.uk/rolls-of-honour/archive/100236456

William James Lobban (030086, Pte., Army Ordnance Corps) (b. Enzie, 8 Feb 1889), residing in Morayshire ten years when he enlisted at Elgin 8 Feb. 1916. He served in Egypt. He was a butcher, and the son of James and Margaret Lobban, Mains of Buckie. (source)

World War Two survivors

John Alexander Lobban (1917–1993)

On June 12th, 1943 the Handley Page Halifax of 2nd Lt. John Alexander Lobban, part of the 76/78 Bomber Squadron crashed about 4 km south of Bladel, The Netherlands. The plane that left from Linton-on-Ouse airport was set to target Düsseldorf. Five crew members died, among others the pilot Sgt. Andrew James Normandale Wilson. There was only 1 survivor: navigator Sgt. J.A. Lobban, born on 31 Dec 1917. In his Evasion and Capture statement he describes how he managed to escape from the Germans and how he was aided by the Dutch resistance network. One of the places he stayed at was the café and farmhouse of Albert van Ass. Mr. Lobban describes that he received food and shelter for 3 weeks at the house of the family Van Ass. “At this public house I met two other R.A.F. personnel. At this farm there were altogether 20 people hiding, civilians, refugees and partisans.” During his stay, a Dutch woman interrogated him and other pilots to establish they were genuine airmen. He stayed there until 17 July, after which he was sent onward through the escape line. He was captured in Bordeaux, France on 29 July 1943, together with other pilots on the line, and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner.

Albert van Ass later received the King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom (UK) and the Medal of Freedom (USA) for his aid to allied soldiers.

This item contributed by Lennie van Dooren, great granddaughter of Albert van Ass. From our database we have found little about this John Alexander Lobban. Before the war (1939 Registry) he was a banker’s clerk living with his mother Gertrude Lobban (b. 24 Dec. 1886) in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. She died there in 1980. John died in the town he was born in, St. Austell, Cornwall. Gertude appears to be part of the Preston Lobbans (see Emigrants to England), in spite of a discrepancy in birth date between GRO records and the 1939 Register (Rothiemay Area Lobbans).

See also John Alexander Lobban (1919–1996) WW2 experience and James Lobban (1873–1949), Cameron Highlander’s experience in the Sudanese War.

Posted 29 July 2020 by Christopher S. Lobban, last updated 18 Oct..