Herbert James Whitehand

Born: 1889

Died: 6 May 1917

Rank and Regiment: Pioneer 85544 in ‘Z’ Special Company of the Royal Engineers

Resting Place: Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligney-Thilloy. France - Grave No Sp. Mem. B. 2.

Herbert James Whitehand was born in Whinburgh in 1889. He was the older brother of Colin Leslie Whitehand who is noted under Garvestone. He was the son of Frederick and Isabella Whitehand. His father appears in the 1901 Census for Gillingham as a Police Constable.

By the time of the 1911 Census, Herbert was living in lodgings in Newmarket and was following his father, working as a Police Officer.

He married Clarinda Thetford in 1913.

According to an article in the Eastern Daily Press, In February 1915, John Gordon-Munn, Lord Mayor of Norwich, formed three Royal Engineer Field Companies which were “pals units”, the 207th, 208th and 209th field companies which went on to serve with the ill-fated 34th Division of the British Army. Four police officers from Norwich City Police joined the 208th, Herbert James Whitehand being one of them. Police records show they all joined up on June 7, 1915. They were joined by, three more police officers from Norwich City Police.

As part of the 34th Division, the men were all in France by January 15, 1916. On July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the three brigades of the division were given the task of attacking the heavily defended area in front of La Boiselle. Their casualties were appalling; the 34th Division lost 6,811 men, killed or wounded, between July 1 and July 5, including eight senior officers.

Herbert Whitehand went on to serve in Z Special Company. He was killed in action on May 6, 1917, during preparations for the final phase of the Second Battle of Bullecourt. He was one of 14 killed that day in a German artillery strike as the unit was preparing a gas attack near Bullecourt.

He is buried in Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligney-Thilloy (Grave No Sp. Mem. B. 2.). The inscription on his grave reads:

“THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT”.

His effects, amounting to just £1 8s 11d., were paid out to his widow Clarinda. She never remarried after his death, dying in 1968.

Beaulencourt British Cemetery, France