Skerman, Alfred Herbert

Skerman, Albert Herbert

Military History:

Regiment:                               Royal Field Artillery

Rank:                                      Gunner

Regimental Number:              901581

Date of Enlisting:                   6.11.1915

Date of death:                       6.1957

Cemetery/ Memorial:   

UK Cemetery/Memorial:       St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour
St Mary’s Church Cemetery, Ashwell

(Albert) Herbert enlisted at Hertford with the Hertfordshire Territorial Forces on 6th November 1915, Regimental Number 1822.  He then transferred to the 3/1st Home Counties Field Artillery Brigade, Regimental Number 3294, and embarked for Ashar on the Asian Front on 9th December 1916 where he joined the A Battery 225 Brigade at Makina Masus, near Basrah, and in June 1917 was allotted a new Regimental Number 901581. He then went on to Baghdad before returning to England for demobilisation on 23rd September 1919. He survived the War and died at Ashwell, Hertfordshire in June 1957.

Herbert was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour and is buried in St Mary’s Church Cemetery, Ashwell.

Family History:

Date of Birth:      1st quarter 1892

Birth Place:         Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Residence:          Ashwell, Hertfordshire

Marriage:            23.7.1922

Herbert was the third son of Alfred William and Eliza (nee Barton) Skerman, born in Ashwell in the first quarter of 1892. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylor School in Ashwell and before enlisting was a farm labourer.

He married Mabel Victoria Robinson on 22nd July 1922 at St Mary’s Church, Ashwell, Hertfordshire.  They had one son, Thomas Herbert, born in 1923.

Herbert died in June 1957 and is buried in St Mary’s Church Cemetery, Ashwell.

Herbert’s brothers William, Arthur and Alfred all served in the War and survived.

Commentary: