South Staffordshire War Memorials

Robert Ernest Herd

Robert Ernest Herd was born in 1888 at Cowley, Oxfordshire. He was the son of William Herd, Quarter Master Sergeant of the 4th Oxfordshire Light Infantry, and his wife Eliza. By 1901 the family had moved to Four Ashes Lane, Brewood, where William was working as a 'writing clerk'. By 1911 William was managing the Aqueduct Inn at Stretton and Robert was employed as an estate clerk. Robert married Jane Mary Roberts of Corwen in 1912.

Robert served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He had been a soldier for less than a year when he was killed in action on 26th September, 1917. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Private Robert Ernest Herd was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTION. - The death is announced in action of Pte. Ernest Herd, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and son of Mr William Herd, of the Aqueduct, near Brewood. The deceased was about 28 years of age and leaves a wife and one child. He was formerly employed as a clerk in the Somerford Estate office, Brewood, and subsequently obtained a clerical position in the estate office of Sir Watkin Wynne, Bart. The deceased's father (Mr. W. Herd), who served 21 years in the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, and retired on pension with the rank of sergeant, has had five sons serving in the Army at the same time. Three were in France, one in Salonika, and one in Egypt. This is the first one to be killed. He was killed in the attack on the Messines Ridge. [Staffordshire Advertiser, 3 November, 1917.]

The capture of the Messines Ridge occured in June 1917, several months before Private Herd's recorded date of death. On 26th September the Royal Welsh Fusiliers were in action at the Battle of Polygon Wood (part of the Third Battles of Ypres).