Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Joseph Goulden, a general labourer, born 1874 in Stockport, Cheshire and his wife Florence Isabella Goulden (nee Genever, married in the 3rd quarter of 1895 in the Stockport, Cheshire district), a laundress, born 21st May 1875 in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Herbert was born on the 24th June 1897 in Stockport, his siblings were, Florence Isabella, born 1896 and Harry, born 1900, both his siblings were born in Stockport, in March 1901 the family home was at 19, Borron Street, Stockport. Herbert’s father died on the 17th April 1910 in the Withington Workhouse, West Didsbury, Chorlton, Lancashire, aged 36, he was buried on the 23rd April 1910 in Stockport Cemetery, Cheshire. In April 1911, Herbert was a schoolboy and a pork butcher’s errand boy and was residing in the family home at 43, Mill Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire, together with his widowed mother, a domestic char and his siblings, Florence, a domestic day girl, Harry a schoolboy and news boy and William, a schoolboy, born 1902 in Stockport. In the 1st quarter of 1914, Herbert’s widowed mother married Ernest W. Henshaw in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district. In 1939, Herbert’s widowed mother was residing in the family home at 44, Wood Gate, Loughborough.
Herbert enlisted into the Royal Navy to serve a 12 year engagement on the 23rd August 1913, his reckonable service to commence on the 24th June 1915, he was allocated the service number J/26716 in Portsmouth, Hants. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 1½ inches in height and he had a chest measurement of 33 inches, his hair colour was light brown and his eyes were blue, his complexion was described as fresh, it was noted that he had a tattoo ring on his left middle finger, two moles on the back of his left forearm and a scar on the back of his scalp, he gave his trade or calling as hosiery works trimmer. His record of service began when he joined HMS Ganges as a Boy 2nd Class on the 23/8/13 – 28/2/14, when he was promoted to Boy Signaller. HMS Ganges, 1/3/14 – 10/11/14. HMS Victory I, 11/11/14 – 16/11/14. HMS Dolphin, 17/11/14 – 10/1/15. HMS Maidstone (Depot Ship) – HMS E.13, 11/1/15 – 19/8/15, when he died as a result of an attack by enemy gunboats.
The background leading to the circumstances in which Herbert lost his life is as follows. HMS E.13 had a relatively short career during World War I. On 14th August 1915, she was despatched from Harwich, accompanied by her sister vessel HMS E.8. The two submarines had orders to sail to the Baltic Sea to interdict German shipping, particularly vessels carrying iron ore shipments from Sweden. At around 1.00 am on 18th August 1915, the submarine ran aground in shallow water near Saltholm island in the Oresund between Malmo and Copenhagen, because of a defective gyrocompass. At dawn she became clearly visible. At 5.00 am the Royal Danish Navy torpedo boat Narhvalen appeared on the scene and hailed the E.13’s commander, Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Layton, informing him that he had 24 hours to refloat his vessel and leave before he and his crew would be interned for violating Denmark’s neutrality. The E.13’s crew sought to lighten the submarine by pumping out tanks and discharging fuel, but she had grounded in only 10 feet of water and would not move. Layton realised that he would not be able to refloat the E.13 before the deadline passed and sent his first lieutenant ashore to arrange a tow or, if this was impracticable, to negotiate terms for internment. He was unable to contact the Admiralty for assistance, as the Germans were jamming radio frequencies. At 10.28 am the German torpedo boat G.132 arrived but withdrew when the Danish torpedo boats Støren and Søulven approached. A third Danish torpedo boat, the Tumleren, arrived shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, the commander of the G.132, Oberleutnant zur See Paul Graf von Montgelas, had informed Rear Admiral Robert Mischke by radio about the E.13’s grounding. German naval operations against the Russian held city of Riga were at a critical stage and Mischke felt that he could not afford to let the E.13 pass into the Baltic, where it could threaten the German offensive in the Gulf of Riga. He ordered G.132 and another torpedo boat to destroy the submarine. The two vessels returned to Saltholm and opened fire on the E.13 with torpedoes, machine-guns and shell fire from a range of 300 yards. The submarine was hit repeatedly and set on fire. Seeing this, Lieutenant Commander Layton ordered the submarine to be abandoned, but the firing continued while his men were in the water. The engagement ended when the Danish torpedo boat Søulven placed herself between the submarine and the two German ships, which withdrew. Fourteen of the E.13’s crew were killed in the attack and one was missing, presumed killed. The E.13’s fifteen surviving crew members were interned at the Copenhagen Navy Yard by the Danes for the rest of the war. Layton refused to give his parole and eventually escaped along with his first officer, returning to England to continue the war. He went on to have a distinguished career and commanded the British Eastern Fleet during the Second World War. The Danish government fitted out the mail steamer Vidar as a temporary chapel to transport the bodies of the casualties back to Hull, accompanied by the Danish torpedo boats Springeren and Støren. Notwithstanding Denmark’s neutrality, the dead British sailors were given full honours when their bodies were brought ashore, as a contemporary report described. There was a touching funeral scene tonight in the Sound. In a brilliant sunset the Danish torpedo boat Soridderen passed slowly in with her flag at half mast. A naval squadron formed a guard of honour around the bodies of the British dead. At all the fortifications, and on the whole of the ships, flags were immediately lowered as a mark of respect. Hundreds of spectators were gathered at Langelinie, all of whom reverently saluted. On shore a naval and military salute was given. The incident caused outrage in Britain and Denmark, since it was clearly a serious breach of international law. The Danish newspaper National Tidende published an indignant leading article protesting at the Germans’ violation of Danish neutrality. Politiken reported that the Danish government had protested to Germany, pointing out that the E.13 had not been destroyed in any kind of pursuit but while she was lying damaged on neutral territory. The London Times fulminated in a leading article that “the unjustifiable slaughter of the men of the E.13 is one more notch in the long score we have to settle with the homicidal brood of Prussia.” The German government subsequently apologised to Denmark, stating that “instructions previously given to commanders of German vessels to respect neutrality have once more been impressed upon them.” Although the E.13 was refloated by the Danes and towed to Copenhagen, she was so badly damaged by the German attack that her repair was not viable. On 6th February 1919, she was sold by the British government to a Danish company for 150,000 Danish Kroner (about £8,330 at 1919 prices). On 14th December 1921, she was resold for scrap.
On Tuesday, August, 24th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – The Loss of E13. – LOUGHBOROUGH LAD AMONGST THE MISSING. - We are informed that one of the crew of the ill-fated E 13, reported amongst those killed, is Signaller Herbert Goulden. He was a Loughborough man, and his mother, Mrs. Henshaw, lives in Station-street, where he himself stayed only a fortnight ago, while on leave. He was 18 years old, and had been in the Navy two years. His step-father, Mr. Henshaw, was in the Army, and has been missing since the Battle of Mons.
On Wednesday, August, 25th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “Loughborough Victim of Submarine Outrage.” – (A photograph accompanied the article). – Portrait of Signaller Herbert Goulden, son of Mrs. Henshaw, Station-street, Loughborough, one of the 14 sailors killed in the ill-fated E13, which the Germans shelled while aground and defenceless in Danish territorial waters.
On Friday, August, 27th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “THE E 13 VICTIMS.” – Public Reception of the Dead Postponed. – Owing to the possibility of the arrival of the Danish steamer Vidar, with the bodies of the victims of the E 13, at Hull, to-day being later than expected, the Admiralty issued an order last night postponing the public procession will Saturday morning. The coffins will then be bought ashore, and officers of the Royal Navy will form a bearer party. Sailors will line a portion of the quayside, and soldiers the route through the heart of the city to the station. Here the coffins will be placed in a row. The “Last Post” will be sounded, and volleys fired. The bodies will then be sent direct to the homes of the relatives of the deceased.
On Friday August 27th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – LOUGHBOROUGH LAD IN LOST SUBMARINE. – Harold H. Golding, aged 18, whose mother lives in Station Street, Loughborough, was a member of the crew of Submarine E.13, which foundered in Danish waters. His name does not appear in the list of saved. About a week ago he was at Loughborough on leave. He commenced training for the navy two years ago.
On Saturday, August, 28th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “E 13 VICTIMS.” – Dead Bodies Arrive at Hull. – The Central News Hull correspondent telephones that the Danish steamer Vidar, having aboard the bodies of the 14 bluejackets of the British submarine E13, arrived at Hull last evening about half past seven. The steamer was escorted up the Humber by a destroyer, which dropped anchor in the river, when the boat berthed at the quayside. The destroyer will remain on guard throughout the night.
As the Vidar, flying the Danish flag and the white ensign at half-mast, passed up the river, other craft dipped their flags.
Naval and military officers boarded the Danish boat when she berthed, and exchanged greetings with Captain Hammar. The coffins, arranged in two rows, and each covered with a Union Jack, bore each the name of the sailor whose remains they contained, but it was almost impossible to decipher these in consequence of the mass of wreaths which had been laid upon them, these including offerings from the French, Russian and Italian Embassies, some from the Danish Navy, and many from individual sympathisers.
On Tuesday, August, 31st, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOUGHBOROUGH’S E13 Hero. – Impressive Military Funeral. – TOUCHING FLORAL TRIBUTES. – “A very valiant Briton and a good, That here . . . lies slain.” “Treacherously hast thou vanquished him.” – These lines were printed on the hymn-sheet used at the funeral service yesterday of Signalman Herbert Goulden, of Loughborough, the 18 year old lad who was one of the 14 killed when the Germans attacked H.M. submarine E13 as she lay helplessly stranded off the Danish coast on August 19. Military, civic, and popular honour was accorded by Loughborough to the remains of the young hero, who, with his comrades, met death so finely, and in every possible way full tributes of respect were paid.
The body, enclosed in a massive coffin, on which was a plate bearing the name of the young blue-jacket, arrived at Loughborough by the Great Central Railway from Hull on Saturday, and was removed to the lad’s home in Station-street.
With the remains also came no less than 72 floral tributes including the beautiful wreath inscribed “In memory of the brave bluejackets who gave up their lives for King and country. – From Alexandra.” There were tributes from Russia, Belgium, Denmark, France, le Ministre de Belgique, the “Marineministeriet,” the members of the Hull Exchange, pilots and crew of the pilot cutter India, of Hull, the Hull fruit merchants, and several Hull firms.
One wreath was from the “Sailors’ mothers and wives, Havelock-street, Hull, to the memory of a British hero who died for England.” Mrs. Geoffrey Layton, wife of the Commander of E13, sent a tribute “With deepest sympathy.” “A token of respect” came from the officers and ship’s company of H.M.S. St. George in “Remembrance of Signalman Herbert Goulden.” Another wreath bore the inscription: “We salute you, crew of E13. Your immortal example can but encourage Britain’s sons to deeds of similar valour for the honour of Old England.”
MILITARY HONOURS.
A strong detachment of the 3/5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment attended the funeral under the command of Major R. S. Goward, the officer commanding, and there were also present the Adjutant, Captain Feilden, Captain Faulkner, Captain Marsh (1/5th), Second-Lieutenants Dawes and Russell, and Regimental Sergeant- Major Jacques. Four sailors, now home on leave: Stokers T. Brooksby, R. Walwyn, and Armourer W. F. Dunandle (Loughborough), and Stoker A. Buxton (Sileby) were in the parade, and a number of members of the Volunteer Training Corps attended, under Sergeant-Major Brown, with Quartermaster Hodson and Sergeant Court. The parade lined up in Station-street as a bodyguard and escorted the funeral party to St. Peter’s Church. The coffin was covered with the naval ensign, on which were two wreaths and the deceased sailor’s cap, and the bearers were Corporal Bond and six men from the battalion. The band of the battalion played Chopin’s “Funeral March” to the church, where the coffin and mourners were met by the vicar, the Rev. R. J. Sturdee, and the choir. The accommodation was almost entirely taken up by the military, and only a very few of the public were admitted. Mr. H. Perkins (town clerk), was present, representing the Corporation, and Mr. J. H. W. Matthews, headmaster of Church-gate School, at which Signalman Goulden was formerly a scholar, also attended.
The family mourners were, Mrs. Henshaw (mother), Florence and Mabel Goulden (sisters), Harry and Willie Goulden (brothers), Mrs. Clegg (Rochdale) (aunt), Mrs. Hood (aunt), Misses Grace, Lily, and Maggie Hood (cousins).
FLORAL TRIBUTES.
Among the senders of local tributes were: Aunt Cathie and Cousins; Uncle Ted; Aunt Clara and Family; Elsie and Herbert; Cousins Lil and Hugh; Mr. and Mrs. G. O. Beeby and Family; Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert and Family. A wreath and anchor were sent from the firm and employees of the Nottingham Manufacturing Company, Loughborough, and tributes from the Mending Room Staff I. and R. Morley and Sons, and the Machine Room Staff, Empress Work; Frederick-street Congregational S.S.; “In proud remembrance of one of their old scholars”; staff and scholars Church-gate Council School, boys’ department; Messrs. Hanford and Miller; A friend; A pal on H.M.S. Glory; Francis Pope; Old shipmates in the machine shop, Empress Works.
The service, conducted by the vicar, included the hymns, “Eternal Father, strong to save,” and “My God, my Father, while I stray,” and Psalm xxxix, with the Lesson and Prayers from the Burial Service. The organist (Mr. J. Smith) played “O rest in the Lord” and other funeral music. After the service the procession re-formed, and with the band playing the Chopin and Handel marches passed at slow march through the town to the Cemetery, the whole route lined closely with the townspeople, and shutters and blinds drawn in most of the business premises. Flags were flown at the half-mast at the Town Hall, All Saint’s, and St. Peter’s Churches and other public buildings.
At the conclusion of the service by the graveside volleys were fired by a firing party of the 3/5th, and the “Last Post” was sounded.
On Friday September 3rd 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” THE LOUGHBOROUGH SUBMARINE VICTIM. – Full military honours and a striking demonstration of public respect and sympathy were accorded on Monday afternoon at the funeral of Signalman Herbert Goulden, Loughborough’s representative among the victims of E.13. The body enclosed in a massive coffin, on which was a plate bearing the name of the young blue jacket, arrived in Loughborough by the Great Central Railway from Hull on Saturday, and was removed to the lads home in Station Street. With the remains also came no less than 72, floral tributes including the beautiful wreath inscribed “In memory of the brave blue jackets who gave up their lives for King and Country. – From Alexandra.” There were tributes from Russia, Belgium, France, Le Ministre de Belgique, the “Marineministeriet,” the members of the Hull Exchange, pilots and crew of the pilot cutter India, of Hull, the Hull fruit merchants, and several Hull firms.
One wreath was from the “Sailors’ mothers and wives, Havelock-street, Hull, to the memory of a British hero who died for England.” Mrs. Geoffrey Layton, wife of the Commander of E.13, sent a tribute “With deepest sympathy.” “A token of respect came from the officers and ship’s company of H.M.S. St. George in “Remembrance of Signalman Herbert Goulden.” Another wreath bore the inscription: “We salute you crew of E.13. Your immortal example can but encourage Britain’s sons to deeds of similar valour for the honour of Old England.”
The funeral service was held at St. Peter’s Church, and was conducted by the Rev. R. J. Sturdee, vicar, being attended by a detachment from the C, A and B Companies of the 3rd 5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, under Major Goward, and a firing party of a corporal and 12 men was supplied from the battalion, whose band was also in attendance.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Images provided by D Thompson 05/08/22
Spelt "Golden" on memorial card