Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Joseph Stretton, a carpenter journeyman, born 1836 in Desford, Leicestershire and was baptised on the 31st July 1836 in the Parish Church, Desford and his wife Hannah Stretton (nee Ellis, married on the 20th August 1861 in the Parish Church, Ratby, Leicestershire), born 1840 in Groby, Leicestershire. Herbert was born in the 1st quarter of 1881 in Cosby, Leicestershire, his siblings were, John, an agricultural labourer, born 1862 in Desford, Joseph, born 1868, Annie, a schoolgirl, born 1871, Thomas Henry, a schoolboy, born 1877 and Sarah, born on the 21st September 1878, the latter four siblings were all born in Cosby, in April 1881 the family home was at Cosby. In April 1891 Herbert was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at Ortons Yard, Cosby, together with his father, a carpenter, his mother and siblings, Joseph, a tailor, Harry, a shoe trade riveter, Sarah and Arthur, born 1889 in Cosby. In March 1901 Herbert was employed as a boot trade riveter and was residing in the family home at Ortons Yard, Cosby, together with his father, a carpenter, his mother and siblings, Joseph, a clothier and dealer and Sarah, a hosiery trade wool winder, also residing in the family home was Herbert’s Nephew, William A. Stretton, a schoolboy, born 1889 in Cosby. In April 1911 Herbert was employed as a shoe trade finisher and was residing in the family home at Cosby, together with his father, a carpenter and his mother, also residing in the family home was Herbert’s Nephew, Arthur, Stretton, a professional golfer, born 1889 in Cosby, Herbert’s married sister, Sarah Cobley and her husband, Samuel Cobley, a general carter, born 1877 in Bornholm, Lincolnshire and their children, Henry, born 1908 and Constance, born 1910, both children were born in Cosby. In the 4th quarter of 1915 in the Leicester district, Herbert married Annie Bond.
Herbert’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the South Staffordshire Regiment, being allotted the service number 23130, and was posted as a Private to the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and it was with this unit that he first entered the theatre of war in France, sometime after the 31st December 1915. At some point he was transferred as a Private to the 8th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, and it was while serving with this unit that he died of wounds received in action. He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.