Date of birth: 16/02/1889

Place of birth: Hackney, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Last known residence: Northallerton, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Profession: Clerk

Religion: Church of England

Country: England, United Kingdom

Force: British Expeditionary Force

Rank: Lieutenant

Units:  —  Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment), 1/4th Bn.  (Last known unit)

Date of death: 02/11/1917

Place of death: No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station, Dozinghem, Westvleteren, Belgium

Cause of death: Died of wounds (D.O.W.)

Age: 28

British War Medal Medal

Victory Medal Medal

Herbert Charles Hale was the second son of Samuel and Harriet Hale from Hackney, Middlesex. After primary school, he was able to study at the Sir John Cass Technical Institute in London. In 1911, when he was 22, he worked as a clerk for an advertising company. On 1 January 1916, during his leave at the front, he married nurse Lilian Dorothy Holt, who lived in Northallerton, Yorkshire. By then he was a lieutenant in the 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, part of the 150th Brigade of the 50th Division. Together they had a son, Bernard.

The 50th Division marched from northern France to Flanders in October 1917. There, on 26 October 1917, it participated with the 149th Brigade in the fighting at Houthulst forest. The 4th Yorkshire Regiment provided support. The attack failed and the troops had to retreat to their original positions. At night, the 4th Yorkshires reinforced the front line near Turenne Crossing, between Aden House and Colibri Farm. The terrain was boggy and desolate. There were no trenches. The front line consisted only of a series of flooded shell holes. On 1 November 1917, the Yorkshires were relieved by the 8th Durham Light Infantry.

Lieutenant Herbert Charles Hale, 28, was wounded on 29 October 1917 and taken to the 4th Casualty Clearing Station at Dozinghem near West Vleteren where he succumbed to his wounds on 2 November 1917. He is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Plot XII, Row A, Grave 16. His younger brother Sydney Walter Hale, an artilleryman, was killed near Arras in July 1917.

151 Infantry Brigade: 8 Battalion Durham Light Infantry. (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2842/1). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

4 Battalion Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2836/3_2). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG12). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used

London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1938,(Hackney,P79/JNJ/049). https://www.ancestry.com. Sources used

London, England, Marriage Bonds and Allegations 1597-1911. https://www.ancestry.com. Sources used

London, England, School Admissions and Discharges, 1840-1911. https://www.ancestry.com. Sources used

UK, World War I and World War II Memorial Books, 1914-1945. https://www.ancestry.com. Sources used

Willy H.C., The Green Howards in The Great War 1914-1919,(Richmond Yorkshire, 1926), 138 Sources used

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/620846

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5339719

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=029d092e-0fc1-45b1-a6bd-e3b51437bd4f