Thank you to Jane Anthony for this research. Thank you to Patricia Brazier for additional research.
Herbert was born on 1st April 1899 in Yately Hampshire and baptised in his local parish church on 25th June 1899. His parents are Frederick, a cowman on a farm and his mother, Ellen Louise (nee Cumber).
Herbert attended Hartley Wespall Church of England School and left in 1906 when his family moved to Abinger Common, where they are living in the 1911 census. Herbert is aged 12 and at school, he has two brothers; Frederick George aged 14 and Walter Charles aged 7, and a sister Gladys aged 10.
On the 6th September 1914, he enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery at Gosport in Hampshire. Herbert was only 15 at the time, but gave his age as 19 years and 7 months. His Attestation papers show that he was 5 feet and 3 inches tall and had dark eyes and dark hair. His next of kin are listed as his father, Frederick, his mother Ellen and his brother Frederick who are all living in Abinger Surrey. On 4th of November 1914, Herbert was discharged as medically unfit for service due to cardiac disease and flat feet.
He then moved up to Yorkshire and married Doris Neesom in Thirsk in the December quarter of 1915. They had two children George Herbert born on 16th July 1916 and Margaret Ellen, born in 1918. He then enlisted into the Yorkshire Regiment and went to France. His regiment were involved in the Battles of Aisne and The Marne in May 1918. His death date is given as on, or around 27th May 1918. Sadly Herbert has no known grave, and he is remembered on the Soissens Memorial where 4,000 officers and men died during the battles of the Aisne and the Marne are remembered.
| Born | Newby Whiske, Northallerton | |
| Lived | Abinger Common | |
| Son of | Frederick and Ellen Louise (nee Cumber) of Abinger Common | |
| Husband of | Doris Neesom of Thirsk | |
| Father of | George Herbert (1916) and Margaret Ellen (1918) | |
| Regiment | 1st/4th Battalion. Yorkshire Regiment | |
| Number | 201162 | |
| Date of Death | 27th May 1918 | |
| Place of Death | Marne, France | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in action | |
| Age | 19 | |
| Memorial | Soissons Memorial, Soissons, France |
