Cyril Lomax graduated in History from Oxford and was ordained in 1895. He was appointed assistant priest of the Parish of Washington, Diocese of Durham, then two years later he became a rector. His involvement with the army began in 1900 as chaplain to the 4th Volunteer Battalion Durham Light Infantry (which was renamed the 8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry in 1908) and his association with the 8th lasted nearly 25 years. He did not enter the war immediately even though the 151st Infantry Brigade, to which the Battalion belonged, crossed to France on the 15th April 1915; no doubt he had a commitment to his parish and had to remain in Blighty. But in July 1916 he did cross to France and wrote about his experiences on the Western Front in vividly illustrated letters, some of which are now displayed in the Imperial War Museum, London. The Battalion also published one of his sketches in the Battalion history which describes how he liked to draw in his free time, when he was not offering spiritual guidance or general support to the men. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/humanfaceofwar_gallery_05.shtml
Reverend Lomax served with Brigadier-General Roland B. Bradford who won the Victoria Cross The Rev. Cyril Lomax, who served as Chaplain with Roland, wrote - "I conceived the greatest affection and admiration for Roland while I was serving with him. He was ... always most willing to back up the efforts of the Chaplain. ..... Quiet, always fresh and unworried, he bore the strain of mud and shell in a marvellous way. ... He was always about among his men. This and his coolness were the main causes of his success. When I went up the line to bury he always attended. And I recollect that one day up in the support trenches near Flers ... he came out to the burial of one of his men, and then asked me if I would like to go with him to hunt for some Boche dugouts along a ridge. Two officers whom he had sent to find them had failed to do so (the situation was not over-healthy), and so he proposed to go himself. He was extraordinarily helpful under shellfire, and he humbugged me for not ducking quick enough when they came along. We found the dugouts, and then proceeded to bury some Australians who were lying near. Of course this was under enemy observation.”
Heres his MIC ...... Medal card of Lomax, Cyril Royal Army Chaplain's Department Chaplain 4th Class Reverend Date 1914-1920 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/...asp?Edoc_Id=3894349&queryType=1&resultcount=1
