Born: 1896
Died: 28 March 1918
Buried: Etaples Military Cemetery
Address: 2 Westfield Crescent, Eccleshill
Parents: Christopher & Harriet Ann, nee Mallinson
Spouse:
Siblings: Mary and Christopher
Occupation:
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Gunner
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour:
Children:
Regiment: Royal Field Artillery
Herbert Lawrence Waite
Herbert Lawrence Waite was born
in 1896, the son of Christopher and
Harriet Ann. Nee Mallinson.
They began married life at 43
Undercliffe Street, Eccleshill but by
1891 they had moved to 39
Charnwood Road. Two other
children, Mary Isabella and
Christopher Gordon were born
before Herbert.
By 1911 the family had moved to
15 Park Street, Bare, Morecambe
but Christopher died in Bradford in
1912 aged 56 years and when
Herbert enlisted he was living at 2
Westfield Crescent.
He enlisted in Wakefield on the
30th of October 1915 as Gunner
120418 as part of Kitchener’s new
army in the 77th Howitzer Brigade
of the Royal Field Artillery, 16th
Irish Division which landed in Le
Havre on the 17th/18th of February
1916.
His unit was involved in the Battle
of the Somme but not until
Guillemont between the 3rd and
6th September where, south of
Delville Wood, the second German
defence system snaked down to the
village of Guillemont.
It became another place where men
of both sides were cut down in their
thousands, as attack and counter-
attack took place.
There followed the Battle of
Ginchy on the 9th of September
1916 which could only be attacked
once Delville Wood and
Guillemont were in British hands.
The 16th Irish division took part in
the Battle of Messines 7th to 14th
of June 1917, in which they
captured Wytschaete. The battle
commenced with one of the
heaviest artillery bombardments of
the war.
In August and September 1917 they
also were involved in Third Battle
of Ypres or Passchendaele as it
became known, which failed in its
objectives and descended into
attritional fighting.
Herbert died of wounds in the large
Military Hospital in Etaples on the
28th March 1918 and he is buried
in the Military Cemetery there.
His unit had been involved in the
1918 Somme offensive fighting in
the Battle of St. Quentin and in the
Battle of Rosieres and it was in one
of these battles that he was
wounded. He was 21 years of age.
He left his effects to his brother in
law John W Tuffley and his sister
Mary Isabella who each received
£11.19.0d and a War Gratuity of
£10.10.0d to his brother in law and
also to his brother Christopher who
each received £5.5.0d.
Herbert is not listed on either
Eccleshill Roll of Honour but his
name was in a list of the dead
published later in a Parish
Magazine.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
