Herbert William Nunn

A Private with the 2nd Battalion, Herbert died on 13th of November 1916 at the age of 27. 

Herbert was born at Carlton Colville in 1888, a son of John and Elizabeth Honor Nunn. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Carlton Colville, on 28 November 1888. In 1891 his family lived at Bell Corner, Carlton Colville. By 1901 his father had died, and he lived with his mother, and grandparents Shadrack and Mary Sharman, near Low farm, Carlton Colville. He was the half-brother of Bertie Sharman of 1 Bridge Road, Oulton Broad.

In 1911 Herbert lodged with Jasper Youngs, a baker, at Bridge Road, Oulton Broad, and Herbert was an assistant baker. 

Herbert volunteered in October 1914 and enlisted in the Army at Saxmundham.  He joined the Suffolk Regiment. Initially he served with the 6th (Cyclist) Battalion, service number 1564. In 1916 he was posted to the 2nd Battalion in France and renumbered 43769.   

Colonel Murphy’s ‘The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927’ has the following account of the 2nd Battalion’s attack at Serre on 13 November 1916:

At 5 a.m. the first wave floundered forward into No Man’s Land – in reality, a sea of mud in which movement was barely possible. Three quarters of an hour later the attack began. The mist which hung about the low ground thickened as the smoke of the barrage increased, making direction extremely difficult to maintain. Within a very short time all the officers in the leading companies had fallen, and owing to lack of leaders no real progress was made. In spite of the atrocious weather conditions prevailing, portions of the leading Suffolk companies actually reached the German second line. But all was in vain, and the battalion having been reorganised in its original front line, remained there for the rest of the day, marching back to Courcelles the next morning. Their casualties numbered 272, including eleven officers.  

Herbert was killed in action on 13 November.