Herbert Vine

A Private with the 13th Battalion, Herbert died on 30th of November 1917 at the age of 34. 

It is difficult to establish the facts of Herbert’s early life. The 1911 Census states that he was born at Kentish Town, London, and would have been born in 1883. Soldiers Died in the Great War gives his place of birth as Hampstead, London.

Herbert was also, at times, known as Albert, Albert William, and Berty.

In 1903 Herbert married Lilian Violet Butcher: this was registered in the Mutford district. In 1904 they lived at Dunbar House, Whapload Road, and Herbert worked as a musician. Herbert and Violet had four children, born in 1904, 1906, 1907 and 1908. Two of the children died in infancy. By 1907 they were living at 5 Danish Cottages, Police Station Road. In 1907 Herbert appears in a newspaper report having been in trouble with the police for singing and shouting in a street in Cobholm, Great Yarmouth, after 10 p.m. at night. 

By December 1910 Hebert and Lilian were living at 19 White Horse Street. Lilian died in December 1910 and the 1911 Census shows Herbert, and two of his children, as inmates at Oulton Workhouse and states that Herbert was ‘formerly a labourer’. In 1913 Herbert lived at 53 Mariners Street and in 1914 he lodged at the Mariners Inn. 

Herbert married Emma Jane Ayres in 1916: this was registered in the Mutford district. By February 1917 Herbert was serving in the Army and Emma lived at 1 Wellington Cottages, Clapham Road. In 1919 Emma married Henry Read.

Herbert enlisted in the Army at Richmond, Surrey. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 34352 and was drafted to France where he was transferred to the Essex Regiment, service number 41006, and posted to the 13th Battalion. 

On 26 November 1917 the 13th Battalion moved from Doignies to relieve the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in front line trenches. On the night of 29/30 November they relieved the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment in positions astride the Canal du Nord. The enemy activity through the night was described as ‘normal’. At 6.30 a.m. on 30 November the enemy put down a barrage on the positions near Lock Number 5 and the bridge. Around 7.30 a.m. this fire intensified and at 9.30 a.m. the enemy launched an attack in great numbers. The attack was repulsed by B Company, at Lock 5, but they used up nearly all of their ammunition and bombs.

A further attack led to men of the battalion retiring southwards from the Sunken Road position. About 10.30 a.m. a further intense barrage was laid on the battalion’s positions and this included heavy shells and gas. At this time another enemy attack was launched from the north-east. At 11 a.m. A Company were ordered to hold their position and fight to the last. About 12 o’clock B Company, now numbering 40 men, was forced to retire as did the remaining garrison at the Sunken Road: this meant that Lock 5 and Sunken Road were immediately occupied by the enemy. During the afternoon men of the battalion made two attacks to try to regain the Sunken Road position, but these were repulsed. The enemy then made repeated attempts to move from Sunken Road to Canal Trench, but were prevented by the battalion’s machine gunners. During the night the battalion tried three times to retake Sunken Trench but could not do so. The battalion were then relieved by 22nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. It is estimated that between 400 and 500 German soldiers became casualties.

The battalion’s casualties between 30 November and 4 December were:
Officers: four wounded and missing, two missing, four wounded
Other ranks: 16 killed, 9 wounded and missing, 269 missing, 78 wounded

Herbert was killed in action on 30 November.