Name
Herbert (Bert) Sherwood
1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/12/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
20150
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KLEIN-VIERSTRAAT BRITISH CEMETERY
I. G. 5.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Baldock Town Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Baldock
Pre War
Herbert Walter Sherwood (known as Bert), was born in Clothall, nr Baldock in 1883, the son of Walter and Elizabeth Sherwood.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Bygrave Lane, Baldock where his father was working as a bricklayer. By 1901 they had moved to Pantile Square, Bygrave, Baldock and Herbert was then working as a bricklayer's labourer, probably for his father who was a bricklayer. His parents later lived at Clark's Yard, Baldock but Herbert (then named as Bert) had then moved to Norton Street, Baldock where he was living with his brother Robert, his wife and family on the 1911 Census. Bert was then working as a builder's labourer.
Bert married Charlotte Elizabeth Clements in 1913 and they had two children, Charles (born 1914) and Winifred (born 1915). Prior to enlistment, he had been employed as a carpenter with C. Clements of Whitehorse Street, Baldock and Bert, his wife and children lived at 39 Icknield Way, Baldock.
Wartime Service
Bert enlisted in Hitchin in April 1915 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, serving in France with the 6th Battalion. He was posted to France in March 1916 and was probably one of a draft of 30 men which joined the battalion in the field on 2 April 1916.
He would have fought in battles of the Somme in 1916 at Bazentin Ridge in July, the Battle of Pozieres in August and Battle of the Ancre in November. The following year he would have also seen action at the Battles of the Scarpe and Arleux, (part of the Battle of Arras) in April 1917 and the Battles of Polygon Wood and Menin Road (Battle of Ypres) in September 1917.
In December 1917 he was a member of a working party and was wounded, dying of his wounds on 16 December. Two others were wounded and one was killed. He is buried in Klien-Vierstraat British Cemetery, Belgium.
Additional Information
His widow, Charlotte, received a war gratuity of £15 10s and pay owing of £8 13s 9d. She also received a pension of £1 7s 11d a week for herself and her two children.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
