Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Ford, a farm shepherd, born on the 10th April 1852 in Dunton Bassett, Leicestershire and his wife Elizabeth Ford (nee Morris, married on the 3rd June 1873 in the Leicester district), born on the 5th August 1854 in Ashby Magna, Leicestershire. Herbert was born on the 21st November 1894 in Glenfield, Leicestershire, his siblings were, Andrew, a stone quarryman, born on the 21st March 1873, Sarah Ann, a boot trade machinist, born on the 26th April 1878 and Albert Edward, a shoe trade clicker, born on the 25th April 1880, the latter three siblings were all born in Dunton Bassett, Arthur, a shoe trade finisher, born on the 14th September 1882, Alfred, born on the 27th December 1886, George, born on the 16th March 1889, Ada, born on the 28th April 1891 and Maud born on the 2nd September 1897, the latter five siblings were all born in Glenfield, in April 1901 the family home was at Station Road, Glenfield. In April 1911 Herbert was employed as a brickyard labourer and was residing in the family home at Station Road, Glenfield, together with his father, a farm labourer, his mother and siblings, George, a clerk, Ada, a hosiery trade machinist and Maud, a boot trade machinist. Herbert also had two other siblings, William Richard, born in the 3rd quarter of 1875 in Dunton Bassett and Margaret born in the 4th quarter of 1884, and who died on the 15th April 1897 in Glenfield.
The date upon which Herbert emigrated is unknown, however during his residency in New Zealand he married Alice Black on the 28th March 1916 in New Plymouth, New Zealand, after Herbert’s death his widow remarried, becoming Mrs. Alice Todd and residing at Otakeho, Taranaki, New Zealand.
Herbert enlisted into the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on the 3rd April 1916 in Trentham, and was allotted the service number 18644. He gave his date and place of birth as November 21st 1894 in Leicester, England, his trade or calling as farm hand and marital status as single.
His medical examination took place on the 28th July 1916 at Openkake and recorded his birthplace as Leicester, England, his declared age as 23 years and his trade or occupation as farm hand. He was 5 feet 9 inches in height, weighed 141 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 32½ and 36 inches.
He gave his next of kin as his wife, Mrs. H. Ford, c/o C. W. Smart, Skeet Street, Auroa, New Zealand.
During his period of military service the following events of note occurred:-
Posted. “F” Company 15th. Pte. 3/4/16.
Embarked. Wellington. HMNZT Waitemata. 25/7/16.
Disembarked. Devonport. 3/10/16.
Marched into Camp. 3/10/16.
Posted. “B” Company 5th Reserve Bn. New Zealand Rifle Brigade. Rfn. 3/10/16.
Embarked. For France. 20/10/16.
Marched into Camp. Etaples. 21/10/16.
Posted. “A” Company 1st Bn. 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade. Rfn. In the Field. 4/11/16.
Detached. To Headquarters 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade. In the Field. 31/5/17.
Killed in action. In the Field. 7/6/17.
Summary of Service.
New Zealand. 3/4/16 – 26/7/16. 115 days.
Foreign. 26/7/16 – 3/10/16. 70 days.
England. 4/10/16 -
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Herbert’s surviving service record amounts to a total of sixteen pages and these are in good condition and offer an accurate overall description of events that took place during his period of his military service.
An account of the circumstances of death recorded at the time relates;- It was the Messines attack. Ford was a runner. He had just left Headquarters in the afternoon, when he was hit and killed. I could see no actual wound on him. I helped to bury him and 15 or 16 others, behind the New Zealand Dressing Station in the rear of our front line. Reference - Rifleman W. J. Mulhane 18690A. III Platoon.
Buried at Auckland Cemetery, Stinking Farm, 1 mile South West of Messines. 26/1/18.