Irene Pearl Courtice was born in Bethany, Ontario on September 26, 1887 daughter of Reverend Richard Courtice and Bessie Davis; Reverend Courtice was a Methodist Minister in the Bay of Quinte Conference for more than 40 years.
She spent her childhood in the Bay of Quinte district attending schools where her father was a preacher. After attending Albert College, Miss Courtice obtained a normal education certificate and taught school for a few years in the small rural community of Fortescue, Ontario. Following this she commenced studies and graduated from the Nursing School at the Toronto General Hospital in 1913. She enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps on April 7, 1915 in Toronto; this was within two weeks of when her brother, Dr. John Thomas Courtice, enlisted.
Height: 5’ 3”
Weight: 135lb
Age: 27
Nursing Sister Courtice treated the sick and wounded military at the No. 4 Canadian General Hospital in Shorncliffe, England and later in France and Salonica. She returned to Canada providing transport duty, setting sail on June 29, 1918 aboard the H.M.H.S. Araguaya, following which Miss Courtice was appointed Matron and head of nursing at the Whitby Military Convalescent Hospital. On March 30, 1920 she was united in marriage to Reverend Sidney Lambert, a Veteran of World War 1 who served with the Canadian Chaplain Service and rose to the rank of Captain. He was wounded at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, had his left leg amputated and subsequently founded and served as the first President of the Amputee Association of the Great War or War Amps.
Irene Pearl Lambert died in Toronto on August 17, 1963 aged 75 years 10 months 21 days. She is interred at Prospect Cemetery in Toronto.
First World War Belleville 