Name
Herbert Arnott
24 March 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/09/1916
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
18255
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
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
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial,
Marlowes Methodist Church Memorial, Marlowes,
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley
Pre War
Herbert Arnott was born on 24 March 1894 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of James and Elizabeth Arnott and one of five children, although one died in infancy. He was baptised there on 10 October 1894.
On the 1901 Census, the family were living at of 28 Bury Hill, Hemel Hempstead, when his father was a Bricklayer's Labourer. The family lived at the same address for over 40 years.
By 1911 Herbert was working as a Box Carrier at John Dickinson & Co, Apsley Mills and his father had retired and was living on his Army pension, having been a regular soldier for nearly 20 years in the 1870s and 1880s.
He met Winifred May Hendin whilst working at Apsley Mills as she worked as a Clerk in the Administrative Department. They married in October 1915 in Hemel Hempstead whilst he was on home leave and Winifred gave her address on pension records as 103 Cotterells Road, Hemel Hempstead.
She later married Alfred Sear in Hemel Hempstead in September 1918 and lived at 54 Cotterells Road, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in August 1914 in Bedford and was posted to the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, starting his basic training the following month in Warminster, Wiltshire before being sent to France. The battalion left Folkestone, Kent on SS Onward and landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 26 July 1915.
After home leave to get married, he returned and saw action at the Battle of Albert in July 1916, followed by the Battle of Bazentin and Battle of Delville Wood.
He was killed in action on 27 September 1916 during an attack on the German trenches to the north west of Thiepval. The action was ultimately successful and the whole of the village of Thiepval was taken but Herbert was one of about 110 casualties from the Bedfordshire Regiment that day.
He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £1 4s 1d. She also received a pension of 15 shillings a week.
A memorial service was held at Marlowes Baptist Church on 29 October 1916 for Herbert Arnott and seven other members of the congregation who had been killed.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org.,
