Herbert Edward Freeman

Name

Herbert Edward Freeman
16th January 1897

Conflict

First World War

Date of Death / Age

01/07/1916

Rank, Service Number & Service Details

Private
16466
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Battalion

Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards

1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals

Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country

THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France

Headstone Inscription

He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memmorial to the missing.

UK & Other Memorials

Hatfield Town Memorial, Hatfield In Memoriam Book, Lemsford Village War Memorial

Pre War

Herbert Edward Freeman was born on 16th January 1897, in Newton Purcell, Oxfordshire, son of Alfred Freeman a Horseman (B Abt 1868 in Newton Purcell, Oxon) and Ada Freeman (nee Jeffries) (B 1871). He was one of seven children. Baptised on 21st February 1897, in Newton Purcell, Oxon. 

1901 Census records Herbert aged 4, living with his parents, Brother Arthur 5 and sister Edith 2, in Sewell, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire. The family are living at Manor Farm, Houghton Regis Bedfordshire, where his father is employed as a horse keeper.

By 1911 aged 14, Herbert had left school and was working as a Farm Labourer, living with his parents, brothers Albert 15, Reginald 8, sisters Edith 12, Elsie 10, Ada 3 and Winifred 1, at Stanborough Farm, North Road, Hatfield, Herts.

Officially recorded as born in Newton, Oxon and was living in Stanborough when he enlisted in St Albans.

Wartime Service

Herbert enlisted in St Albans in October 1914, and posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the Service No. 16466. His Medal Card indicates he landed in France on 12th August 1915. Herbert was Killed in Action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing.  

The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of August 1916, reported: “Lemsford News, Our Symphony with Mrs Freeman of Stanborough in the loss of her son Herbert, who was in the Bedfordshire Regt. and was killed on July 7th.” Then in September 1916: “By kindness of Mrs. Freeman, we are enabled to print the following letter from Private Freeman’s captain. He speaks with feeling and knowledge of Private Freeman, and his testimony must be consoling to his stricken parents. We offer our deepest sympathy to them in their heavy trouble, in the loss of so gallant a son.”

And

“Lemsford News, War Notes. .......of those whose homes are actually in this parish,..........though Herbert Freeman, whose home is only just outside the parish, and who as a boy attended our school, has also given his life.”

 B.E.F., France, 24·7-16, 

Dear Mrs. Freeman. I have received your letter of the 20th inst., and regret I can only  confirm the news of your son's death, as reported by the War Office. He was killed by a bullet in the attack on the German trenches on the' 1st July, death being instantaneous. He was buried with a number of his comrades on the battlefield, about half a mile north west of Carnoy, which is a little village about four miles east of Albert, his name being written on the cross over the grave. All his private possessions have been forwarded to the base, and should reach you in due course. Your son, Private Freeman, was one of the most useful members of my Company, and has on several occasions done most excellent patrol work during the winter. It may be some consolation to you to know that he died most gloriously in the foremost of the attack, which commenced on the 1st, and which our Battalion had the honour to lead. Please accept the sincerest sympathy of the Officers of his Company, and myself in your sad loss.

Yours truly, A. E. PERCIVAL, Captain." 

Awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal.

Additional Information

Acknowledgments

Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild, Stuart Osborne, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)