Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Thomas Bell a Brickyard Labourer, born 1864 in Exton, Rutland and his wife Matilda, born 1872 in Seagrave, Leics. Herbert Edward was born in 1896 in Seagrave, Leics., his siblings were John Henry, born 1891 in Seagrave, Leics., Thomas Anthony, born 1892 in Countesthorpe Lodge, Leics., Ann Louisa, born 1894 and Fanny Elizabeth, born 1900, the latter two siblings were both born in Seagrave, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at Top End, Seagrave, Leics., in the Ecclesiastical Parish of Seagrave, All Saints. In April 1911 Herbert was employed as a Brickyard Labourer and was residing in the family home at Seagrave, Leics., together with his parents and siblings, John, Thomas, Ann, Fanny and Mabel Allen Bell, born 1904 in Seagrave, Leics. His elder brother Thomas Anthony also fell.