Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Edward Beeby a painter, born 1861 in Burbage, Leicestershire and his wife Elizabeth Beeby (nee Beere, married in the 4th quarter of 1887 in the Aston, Warwickshire district), born 1862 in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Herbert James Henry, a schoolboy, was born on the 29th September 1898 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire and baptised on the 28th June 1899 in St. Nicholas’s Church, Nuneaton, his siblings were, Thomas William Beere, a coal miner, born in the 3rd quarter of 1884 in Banbury, Oxfordshire, Edward Richard, a schoolboy, born on the 23rd December 1893 and baptised on the 28th June 1899 in St. Nicholas’s Church, Nuneaton, Ellen Rebecca, a schoolgirl, born on the 29th December1895 and baptised on the 28th June 1899 in St. Nicholas’s Church, Nuneaton and William Beere Beeby, a schoolboy, born on the 30th December 1894 and baptised on the 30th January 1895 in St. Nicholas’s Church, Nuneaton, the latter three siblings were all born in Nuneaton, in March 1901 the family home was at 10, Tennant Street, Nuneaton. In April 1911 Herbert was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 1, Clarks Yard, Hinckley, Leicestershire, together with his father, a painter, his mother, a tailoress and siblings, Edward, a hosiery trade worker, William, a shoe trade worker, Ellen, a hosiery trade worker and Henry Woodvill, a schoolboy, born in the 1st quarter of 1905 in Hinckley.
Herbert’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, but from the few existing documents that are available in the public domain, it can be confirmed that he enlisted into the Army. The unit he first joined upon enlistment cannot be identified, and the earliest documentary evidence currently available relates to his serving with the 1/5th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers with the service number 341328, he was then on an unknown date transferred to the 1/7th Battalion of the same Regiment. It is unknown when Herbert first entered the theatre of war in France, however as he was not recorded on the medal rolls for the 1914-15 Star, it must be assumed that it was at some time after the 31st December 1915, it is also unclear to which of the aforementioned Battalion’s he joined, and nothing further is known of his military service until he was transferred to the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers and was serving at Didcot Camp, and it was while serving at this camp on Guard Duty, that he suffered a fatal gunshot wound, and died on the evening of Thursday the 3rd July 1919. He was buried in Hinckley Cemetery, Leicestershire. Herbert was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His older brother William died on the 30th April 1917, from wounds received in action.
On Wednesday, July 9th, 1919 The Hull Daily Mail published the following article under the heading. - MYSTERIOUS SHOT KILLS PRIVATE. - A mysterious affair was investigated at Didcot Depot, on Tuesday night, at an inquest on Herbert Beeby, aged 20, of Hinckley, a private in the Northumberland Fusiliers. It was stated that an alarm had been sounded, and the guard hurried to the sentry posts near the magazines. The report was "All clear," and Beeby, and Privates P. Butler and J. Clarke were "doubling" back to the guard room when a rifle was fired, and Private Beeby fell mortally wounded. The medical evidence was that it was impossible for the wound to be self-inflicted. Butler said they were proceeding abrest (sic) when the shot was fired. Clarke said they were in single file with Beeby in the rear. The jury found that the injury was not self-inflicted, but there was no evidence to show by whom the shot was fired.