Herd, Richard John
88 Richard John Herd MM 44th Battalion AIF
Richard John Herd was born on the 29th June 1892 in Port Augusta SA to John and Charlotte Herd. He was one of six siblings, with, Thomas 1887, Ellen 1890, Amy 1894, Henrietta 1896 and Mary 1898.
His father then died in 1898 in Port Augusta South Australia.
The family then moved to WA in the 1900's and took up residence in Fremantle, at 24 Norfolk Street.
Prior to the Great War Richard was working as a Railway Porter, joining WAGR on the 4th May 1911 (worked for them till 1949) He worked at the Fremantle and Cottesloe stations.
On the 29th December 1915 Richard enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 5 & 3/4 inches tall;
Weight - 136lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-39 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Dark Brown.
After his successful enlistment, Richard was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.42 Trainig Depot. He spent a few weeks being taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 1st February 1916 he was then assigned to "A" Company of the 44th Battalion AIF.
Richard trained with the 44th Battalion for the next few months in WA while they waited for the departure orders to arrive. These finally came though and on the 6th June 1916 the 44th Battalion boarded the transport ship HMAT Suevic in Fremantle Harbour. The journey to England took just over six weeks and the ship arrived at Plymouth Harbour on the 21st July 1916.
After being disembarked the 44th Battalion were sent to the 3rd Division Training area on the Salisbury Plains and remained there till November 1916. During this time the men were also given leave and Richard would have seen London or other parts of England.
Richard got into trouble for going absent without leave for five days from 26th October 1916 to 31st October 1916. He was fined ten days pay and had to undergo five days of Field Punishment No.2.
On the 6th November Richard was again in trouble for using insolent language and was confined to camp for three days.
On the 25th November the 44th Battalion arrived at Southampton Harbour where they boarded a transport ship for the journey across the Channel to France. After their arrival they were sent to the Armentieres region where they remained until March 1917.
On the 13th March 1917 the 44th Battalion conducted a trench raid on German positions. Richard took part in the action and was awarded the Military Medal. The official recommendation reads;
At Armentieres on the night of the 13th/14th March 1917, Private Herd was a member of the Reserve party to the Raiders. After the Raiders had been compelled to retire, Private Herd went out to No Mans Land on no less than 5 occasions under intense fire and assisted in the bringing in of the wounded and dead. He was in No Mans Land for 4 hours under a heavy fire the whole time. By his gallantry and devotion to duty he set a magnificent example to his comrades.
On the 2nd April 1917 news came through that Richard had been awarded the Military Medal.
In April 1917 the 44th Battalion were transferred to Ploegsteert in southern Belgium.
The 44th Battalion spent the next few months in the Ploegsteert sector. In June 1917 the Messines offensive commenced with the 44th Battalion seeing action in the successful operation. After a few days of action Richard was evacuated with exhaustion though he returned to his unit on the 14th June 1917.
Richard and the 44th Battalion remained at Messines till August 1917. The 44th Battalion then moved to Ypres in September 1917.
He subsequently served through the Third Battle of Ypres from September to November 1917 seeing action at Zonnebeke, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele and came through safely.
From December 1917 to March 1918 the 44th Battalion held the line in Belgium south east of Ypres, between Hollebeke and Messines.
As a result of the German offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop the German advance. The 44th Battalion were sent to an area near the Somme River at Sailly-le-Sec and Sailly Laurette. The 44th Battalion advanced till they met the Germans in the field near Sailly Laurette and though the German fire stopped the 44th from advancing, the Germans were also stopped.
Richard and the 44th Battalion were in this sector for the next few months. On the 4th July 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. Richard came through this action unscathed.
On the 8th August 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful advance from the Villers-Bretonneux front and they took their objectives. The 44th Battalion advanced continually for the next several weeks, seeing action around Bray, Clery and Peronne. By the 29th September 1918 the 44th Battalion were at the Hindenburg Line defences. The 44th Battalion was involved in the attack for the next few days but again Richard came through safely.
The 44th battalion were then withdrawn for a rest period and they were still out of the line when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.
When the Germans withdrew to behind their own borders, the Australians were sent into what had been German held parts of Belgium and France. On the 2nd January 1919 Richard was given a two week furlough to England. He returned to France on the 22nd January 1919.
Richard then remained in France to the 7th April 1919. He was then posted back to England and was sent to No.3 Group Camp at Codford.
On the 1st June 1919 Richard boarded the transport ship Somali and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 8th July 1919.
He was discharged from the AIF on the 23rd August 1919.
In his absence his mother had moved to Alma Street Fremantle. Richard now resumed his work with the WA Government Railways.
Richard was married in 1920 to Alice Mary Brown, and they would have two children, Rona born in 1921 and Reginald 1930.
By 1922 Richard and Alice were living at George St North Fremantle but soon moved to 12 Jackson Street North Fremantle. they would live here through to the 1950's
His mother died in March 1941
Richard Herd died on the 16th June 1960 aged 68. He was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery plot Anglican LD 0204.
His wife Alice died in March 1964 aged 66 and was buried in the same grave.