Name
Herbert Currell (MM)
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/01/1917
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
4119
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ESSEX FARM CEMETERY
II. S. 21.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Codicote Village Memorial, Peace Memorial Hall, Codicote, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Welwyn Village memorials, Not on the Knebworth (old) memorials
Pre War
Herbert was born in 1892 at Burleigh, Knebworth, Herts, the son of William and Mary Currell and one of eight children, although two had died by 1911.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Langley Village, nr Langley Farm, Herts where his father was a Horse Keeper. Herbert was listed as Bertie. By 1911 the family had moved to Norfolk Cottages, Ayot St Lawrence, Welwyn, Herts and Herbert was working as a farm labourer.
His parents later lived at High Heath Cottages, Codicote.
Wartime Service
Herbert enlisted in Hertford and served with the Hertfordshire Regiment in France from 10 July 1915. It is likely he was one of a draft of 70 men who joined the 1st Battalion in the field on 14 July when they were situated near Cuinchy.
He was awarded the Military Medal. The circumstances of the award are not known, but the Hertfordshires were heavily engaged and did some outstanding fighting on the Somme in November 1916 and the action leading to his award may have happened there.
Towards the end of 1916 the Battalion moved to the Ypres Salient via Doullens. Their story tells that the first half of 1917 was a period of “Western Front routine", meaning periods in the front line, in support or reserve, resting or training with daily minor incidents but no major engagements.
He was killed in action on 7 January 1917, aged 24 and is buried at Essex Farm Cemetery, Belgium.
An article in the Hertfordshire Express published on 20 January 1917 announced his death, stated: "A fortnight ago it was our pleasant duty to inform our readers that Lance-Corporal Herbert Currell had won the Military Medal for bravery on the field in France. Now it is our painful task to state that he has been killed. The sad news was sent to his parents this week."
Letters to his parents published in the Hertfordshire Express from Private W. Sell and Second-Lieutenant H. Nelson Smith describe how Herbert was killed by the concussion of a shell during a bombardment by the Germans. He was buried "in a pretty little cemetery" in the "presence of his great friend, Private William King, and of his company commander." Second-Lieutenant Nelson Smith added that he went out with the stretcher bearers and saw him brought in. "He just looked as if he was peacefully sleeping."
His Captain Aylmer G Clerk wrote: "Your son had served under me for many months in France and had done splendid for his regiment and his country. He was a magnificent soldier, and we shall all feel his loss very much."
(Herbert's award of the Military Medal is not mentioned on the Drill Hall War Memorial.)
Additional Information
N.B. On the 1911 Census Herbert is recorded as born in Burley [Burleigh], Knebworth. Burleigh Farm was and remains part of the Knebworth House Estate.
His mother received pay owing of 10s 6d. Although pension cards exist they do not give an amount of pension paid. Herbert is mentioned in a very thorough biography for Jack Alfred Willmott by Paul Johnson, which appears in the website’s Archive section Here.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Adrian Dunne, Brenda Palmer, June Colegrove, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
