Name
Paul Frederick Hebert
12 January 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
Z/2551
Rifle Brigade
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
Panel 10.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial
Pre War
Paulo Frederick Hebert, known as Paul, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 12 January 1893, the oldest son of Henry and Charlotte Hebert and one of seven children.
His father was born in Australia in 1857 and met his mother when he returned to England in the 1880s. He was Company Secretary for a cattle company and his work took him to Argentina where Paul and his sister Dorotea (Dorothy) were born. They returned to England and settled in Hemel Hempstead where the rest of their children were born.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Park Lane, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead and his father was listed as working as a Secretary for Von Berga Company. Paul and his brother Hugh were educated at Boxmoor School from December 1901 and stayed there for two years before leaving to attend Margate College. He returned to Hemel Hempstead in 1905 and then attended Two Waters British School, completing his education in April 1908, when he started work as a Clerk at a mill.
Paul volunteered for the Royal Navy and signed up for 12 years, but only served from 1 September 1908 to 20 November 1908 as a Boy 2nd Class at HMS Ganges, (shore based training base). He was discharged as being unsuitable for the Royal Navy and "lacking in spirit". He then became indentured as an apprentice in the merchant navy, aged 17, in London on 14 February 1910, signing up for 4 years with Tysack & Branfoot Steamship Co Ltd. He served on SS Shadwell and completed his Engineer's exam in 1911.
By the 1911 Census the family were living at Risboro, 15 Horsecroft Road, Boxmoor, Herts and Paul was listed as an apprentice with the mercantile marine.
His father was a serving Alderman for the local Council at the time of Paul's death.
Wartime Service
By the end of his 4 years with the Merchant Navy, war had begun and Paul enlisted at Caxton Hall, London on 3 September 1914 and joined the 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade.
After basic training at Winchester he departed for France, arriving at Le Havre on 19 January 1915. By February he had joined the Battalion at Estaires and saw action in the trenches near Neuve Chappelle. In early May the Battalion were preparing for an assault on Aubers Ridge and were initially successful in capturing a German trench, but they came under heavy shelling and machine gun fire and were eventually driven back.
Paul was initially recorded as missing, but later confirmed as killed in action during the Battle of Aubers Ridge and death was presumed on 9 May 1915. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £7 3s 10d. His brother Hugh served with the 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment and survived the war.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com., www.hemelatwar.org.,
