Vickers, Herbert 1917.

Herbert Vickers 29 May 1917

Herbert’s photograph is very different to the others we see depicting Wokingham’s fallen. Here we see a man of great sensitivity and his pose tells us he is in reflective mood. Is he telling us something about his opinion of the war? His Grand Daughter tells us “My maternal grand-father was a talented artist & school-teacher who was conscripted in 1916. We have some touching illustrated letters written to his 7 year old only daughter before his death in action in 1917”. His father George in 1891 was from Wycombe and as the area is famous for its woodland area, it is not surprising he was one of the town’s many chair makers. His wife had already died by that time and young Herbert and his family would have struggled as a consequence.

 200th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

In contrast to his quiet way of life, Herbert was to become a serjeant within the RGA and

a part of the 200th Siege Battery unit. The Siege Batteries were deployed behind the front line, tasked with destroying enemy artillery, supply routes, railways and stores. The batteries were equipped with heavy Howitzer guns firing large calibre 6, 8 or 9.2 inch shells in a high trajectory.

Commonwealth War Graves Information:

Name:VICKERS Initials: H J

Nationality:United Kingdom

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment/Service:Royal Garrison Artillery

Unit Text:200th Siege Bty.

Age:35

Date of Death: 29/05/1917

Service No:82376

Additional information: Son of George and Ann Vickers, of High Wycombe; husband of Bertha S. Vickers, of Fair View, London Road, Wokingham.

Casualty Type:Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference:VII. C. 23.Cemetery:VLAMERTINGHE MILITARY CEMETERY

 

‘Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery was started by French troops in 1914 and was taken over by Commonwealth forces in April 1915. It was used by fighting units and field ambulances until June 1917, when the land adjoining the cemetery was claimed for a military railway preventing further extension. The cemetery is remarkable for the care with which men of the same unit were buried side by side if they died at about the same time. There is also a very high proportion of graves of Territorial units, in particular Lancashire Territorials, who have nearly 250 graves in plots IV, V and VI. During the early months of 1917, whenever it was possible, the 55th Division brought their dead from the front for burial here.’

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