Name
Alfred Herring
1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/05/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
13843
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GUARDS CEMETERY, WINDY CORNER, CUINCHY
IV. H. 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, Not on the Apsley End memorial, Not on the Watford memorials
Pre War
Alfred Herring was born in Watford, Herts on 14 November 1884, the son of William and Elizabeth Herring, and baptised on 8 April 1995 at St Mary's Church, Watford. He was the first born of eight children, with six younger sisters and and one brother.
The family lived at 28 Estcourt Road, Watford when Alfred was born and were still living there at the time of the 1891 Census, when his father was working as a labourer. By 1901 they had moved to Shafford Bottom, Apsley End, and Alfred, age 16, was working as a Paper Maker's assistant.
He married Mary Element in 1909 in Hemel Hempstead and they had a daughter Margaret Elizabeth born two months before the 1911 Census, which took place on 2 April. They were living at 11 Two Waters Road, Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead, and Alfred was working as a Vermin Killer.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford in September 1914 and joined the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. After basic training he arrived in France on 21 April 1915, one of a draft of 77 men who joined the 2nd Battalion at Estaires on 27 April.
His first major action was on 16 May 1915 as part of the British attack during the Battle of Festubert . At 3.00 pm on 17 May orders were received to move to the rear of old German Fire trenches to make an attack with the Cameron Highlanders. On vacating the trenches they were met by with heavy shrapnel, machine gun fire and rifle fire. The attack was halted when it was found that the ditches were filled with water and they ran out of bombs. Some had been bombed and trench mortared by the enemy, and during the retreat several men were drowned in the ditches. His death was not confirmed to his wife until 6 August 1915 and she was only made aware of how he died when a Private Roadknight from Apsley End, wrote to his own wife asking her to inform Mary (Alfred's wife) that he had found Alfred's body. It is surmised that in the retreat he got into the water and, being unable to swim, went under and drowned.
He was originally buried near his place of death with at least three others from the Bedfordshire Regiment, but was exhumed after the war and reburied in the Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £2 3s 9d. She also received a pension of 15 shillings a week for herself and her child. His younger brother William also fought with the Bedfordshire Regiment but survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelatwar.org., www.dacorumheritage.org.uk., www.bedfordregiment.org.uk., www.hemelheroes.com
