Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Isaac Wright Harrison, an agricultural labourer, born 1832 in Newtown Linford, Leicestershire and baptised on the 21st May 1832 in All Saint’s Church, Newtown Linford (son of Joseph Harrison, 1799-1890 and Elizabeth Mary Wright, 1801-1877) and his wife Emily Jane Harrison (nee Smith, married in the January quarter of 1870 in Islington, Middlesex) born on the 9th May 1851 in Deal, Kent and baptised on the 20th June 1851 in St. Leonard’s Church, Deal (daughter of Jarvis Smith and Charlotte Marsh, 1812). Herbert Jarvis was born in the July quarter of 1888 in Newtown Linford and baptised on the 26th July 1888 in All Saint’s Church, Newtown Linford, his siblings were, John Wright, an agricultural labourer, born in the July quarter of 1870, Elizabeth Ann, born in the January quarter of 1873, Isaac Wright, a shoe trade worker, born on the 4th April 1875, Thomas Wright, a shoe trade worker, born in the October quarter of 1877 and George Wright, a schoolboy, born on the 9th February 1880, the latter five siblings were all born in Kings Cross, Middlesex, Joseph, a schoolboy, born in the January quarter of 1883 and baptised on the 30th December 1883 in All Saint’s Church, Newtown Linford and Walter William, born on the 29th October 1885 and baptised on the 31st March 1886 in All Saint’s Church, Newtown Linford, the latter two siblings were both born in Newtown Linford, in April 1891 the family home was at Hallgates, Newtown Linford. In March 1901 Herbert was residing in the family home at Main Street, Newtown Linford, together with his father, a stone quarry labourer, his mother and siblings, Thomas, a gardener, George, a blacksmith, Joseph a wood feller, Walter, a granite quarry labourer, Emily Jane, born on the 28th September 1891 and baptised on the 13th September 1891 in All Saint’s Church, Newtown Linford and Mary Annie, born on the 4th December 1894 and baptised as Mary Alice on the 17th February 1895 in All Saint’s Church, Newtown Linford, the latter two siblings were both born in Newtown Linford. In April 1911 Herbert was a serving soldier with the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards and was residing in the family home at Newtown Linford, together with his father, mother and siblings, John, a general labourer, Thomas a wood sawyer, Walter a stone quarry worker, Emily a factory worker and Mary a domestic servant.
The Brigade of Guards service records all exist, but were deposited in 2018 with the Ministry of Defence in Glasgow, the exception being the Scots Guards, whose service records are now in the possession of the Trustees of the Scots Guards Charitable Trust, and are free to access. The remainder of the Foot Guards records are available at the current cost of £30.00 per inquiry (2019). Therefore, the currently available information pertaining to Herbert’s military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Leicester. 23/4/06.
Joined. At Guards Depot, Caterham. Date not known.
Posted. To Coldstream Guards. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 6745.
Posted. To 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards. Date not known.
Discharged. To Army Reserve. Date not known.
Mobilized. 4/8/14.
Posted. To 3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards. Pte. 4/8/14.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 12/8/14.
Wounded in action. In the Field. 29/10/14.
Admitted. To Casualty Clearing Station, gunshot wound to the stomach. In the Field. 29/10/14.
Transferred. Per sick convoy to Base. 30/10/14.
Admitted. To 13th General Hospital, Boulogne. 30/11/14.
Died. From wounds received in action in 13th General Hospital, Boulogne. 9/11/14.
Buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.
Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Herbert nominated his brother Joseph, as his sole legatee.
On the 7th September 1916, Herbert’s mother, Mrs. Emily Jane Harrison of Forest Gate, Anstey, Leicestershire was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of two shillings, commensurate on the 12th September 1916, this was increased on the 30th November 1918 to ten shillings to be reviewed for renewal on the 22nd March 1920.
The War Diary records: 29-30-31 Oct-14 – We still remained in the trenches. We suffered a good deal from the enemy artillery fire and from snipers, but our position seemed fairly secure. On October 30th a draft of 90 men joined the Battalion together with Captain VAUGHAN (who had recovered from previous wounds) and 2nd Lieutenant PALMER. On October 31st 2nd Lieutenant TROTTER also joined the Battalion. Our losses from shell fire and from German snipers during the period Oct. 28th to Oct. 31st were 7 killed, 16 wounded and 1 missing.
On Monday July 31st, 1916, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 4, under the heading. – ROLL OF HONOUR. – The relations at Newtown Linford of Private George Purt, Leicester’s, have received intimation that he is wounded and in hospital in France, having been shot through the arm and side. Private John Cluer, Leicester’s, has been discharged as disabled, having also been shot through the arm, while Privates Harry Gretton and Herbert Harrison, all of Newtown, were killed early in the war.
[recognitum XXV-VI-MMXXIII]