T’r P H Herbert (1894 – 1917)

Percy Horace Herbert was the son of Sidney James Herbert and his wife, Alice. Percy was baptised at St Mary Magdalene, Bridgnorth, on 14th January, 1896. Percy’s father was licensee of the George Hotel in Hollybush Road. When he left school, Percy was apprenticed to a motor mechanic.

Percy volunteered early in the war. He served with the 13th Hussars, going to France in September, 1915. After a period in the trenches the 13th were sent to Mesopotamia in July 1916. Percy Herbert was killed in action on 5th March, 1917, shortly before his battalion were involved in the capture of Baghdad. He is commemorated on the Basra Memorial.

Trooper Herbert, 13001, was awarded the Victory and British Medals and the 15 Star. His death was reported in the Bridgnorth Journal on 31st March, 1917.

KILLED IN ACTION
[Bridgnorth Journal, March 31st, 1917]
Mr. S. Herbert, who for some years was licensee of the George Hotel, Bridgnorth, was officially informed on Thursday morning that his son, 13001 Pte. Percy Horace Herbert, 13th Hussars, was killed in action at the Persian Gulf on the 5th March. Pte. Percy Herbert is the second son of Mr. Herbert, who has two other boys serving, and he enlisted on the outbreak of war in 1914, joining the 2nd Life Guards, afterwards transferring to the 13th Hussars. Previous to his being drafted to Mesopotamia he had seen a good deal of active service in France up to the end of last year. He was 21 years of age, and at the time of joining the Army was engaged at the Sunbeam Works, Wolverhampton.