Name
Herbert Sidney White
1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/07/1918
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
Military Foot Police
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HITCHIN CEMETERY
S.E. 1566
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
Herbert was born in 1889 in Hitchin and christened in Hitchin on 16 April 1891. His parents were William and Annie White (nee Cooper) who married in Holy Saviour Church, Hitchin on 22 December 1870.
In 1891 the family were living at 58 Bunyan Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: William (41) and Annie (42), with William working as a signal fitter on the railway. Their children were: Anne L (19), William J (17), George H (12), Florence M (10), Henry E (7), Fred C (4) and Herbert Sidney (1).
In 1901 they were at the same address in Hitchin. Present were both parents, with William working as a signal fitter for GNR. The four youngest children were still living with their parents.
By 1911 Herbert was 21, had left home and had become a police constable. He was living in police accommodation with many other police officers at 182 and 184 Bishopsgate, London EC.
He enlisted on 1 June 1915 and joined the Military Foot Police.
Wartime Service
He has an entry in the National Roll of the Great War – these were normally placed by family members. This confirms that he volunteered in June 1915 and that he went to France later that year.
He contracted dysentery while in France and was invalided home. He was discharged from the army as medically unfit on 6 April 1917. He received the Silver War Badge 171614 to mark his service and discharge.
He died on 25 July 1918 with his death recorded as phthisis (tuberculosis). The death certificate also confirms that he was living at 15 Ickleford Road, Hitchin had was a Police Constable, although it is not clear if he was working as a Police Constable, as ‘Army Pensioner’ was written against that. His family certainly believed it was as he appears on the Hitchin War memorial and the placed an ‘In Memoriam’ notice in a local newspaper states that he "died from the effects of the Great War".
He was buried in Grave S.E. 1566 in Hitchin Cemetery on the 29th July 1918.
Additional Information
He was probably entitled to the 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory medals, but confirmation has not been found.
After his death a war gratuity of £8 10s was authorised to be paid to his father, William, on 6 February 1919.
Probate was obtained by his father on 3 October 1918, with the value of his effects given as £157 17s 6d.
He is not included in the CWGC records. Given the length of time between his discharge and death the latter may not be attributable to his service.
Not to be confused with 330249 Herbert S White Hampshire Regiment who died on 22/7/1918.
Acknowledgments
David C. Baines, Jonty Wild
