The series ‘Plucky Courage’ features the heroics of policeman in the early 20th century when they captured runaway horses pulling conveyances through city streets… and it also gives us a snapshot into their lives, during a time of change, when innovative, mechanically powered contraptions using electric, steam and internal combustion engines, started appearing on Queensland roads and thoroughfares.
The account of a young policeman who went to war
It was happenstance that the writer, who was researching the thirty officers who were killed in action during World War One, and are listed on the ‘Roll of Honour,’ discovered that Constable John Herbert also caught a runaway horse and cart, and was awarded the Police ‘Medal for Merit’ in recognition for his ‘…good police duty performed, and pluck displayed in stopping a runaway horse attached to a butcher’s cart at Annerley Road, Woolloongabba, on 3rd March 1912.’
A full account of Herbert’s meritorious actions is found in the police and witness statements. This is the telling of the heroism of a young man, who with 29 other police officers, volunteered for service with the Australian Imperial Forces during World War One, and were killed in action.
Leave of absence in the war years, 1914 to 1918
On 21st September 1916, Constable John Herbert wrote to the Commissioner of Police for permission to enlist in the Australian Imperial Forces in World War One. See documents pertaining the enlistment below:
Sir,
I beg to request that I may be granted permission to offer myself for active service with the Australian Imperial Forces, and, in the event of being accepted, that I be granted the necessary leave of absence.
I beg to state that I am familiar with the contents of Circular Memorandum No 918, and do not intend any breach of that regulation by making this application. In view of the present Military situation, as well as for personal reasons, I would ask for the favourable consideration of this application.
In the event of my application being granted, I would ask permission to offer in Brisbane on 1st proximo.
John Herbert
Constable No 1099
Service to King and country
After permission to join the AIF was granted, Constable Herbert enlisted on 2nd October 1916. He initially served with the 31st Battalion, then on 4th January 1918, he was sent to the 41st Battalion as a reinforcement. In mid-May, the battalion relieved the line being held at Villers Bretonneux. Mustard gas shells fell for hours on the nights of 25th and 26th May 1918, and again on the morning of the 27th for a further two hours. Lance Corporal Herbert was gassed in the attack.
After the short period of convalescence, he was sent back to the front line which had advanced in his absence. The allies had captured Bray, Vaux Wood, Mericourt and Mont St Quentin. On 7th September 1918, the 41st Battalion attacked the enemy at Roisel, a small French village in the Somme. They were up against heavy artillery and machine guns. The casualties were horrendous.
Lance Corporal John Herbert was grievously wounded by shrapnel and hospitalised. He died on 9th September 1918, aged 29 years.
John Herbert is buried at Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, Somme, France.
He is one of thirty Queensland Police officers who were killed in action
while on leave from their policing duties, during WW1, between 1915 and 1918.
May their great sacrifice never be forgotten.
| Constable Patrick J. MOYNIHAN Fortitude Valley Station Killed in Action at the Dardanelles 25 April 1915 | Constable John GRAHAM D.C.M. Edmonton Station Died of Wounds 22 September 1917 |
| Constable David C. BOURKE South Brisbane Station Died of Wounds at the Dardanelles 2 May 1915 | Constable Oswald H. GOODRICH Roma Street Station Killed in Action 12 October 1917 |
| Constable William J. HUGHES West End Station Killed in Action at the Dardanelles 3 May 1915 | Constable Patrick DEVINE Roma Street Station Killed in Action 3 November 1917 |
| Constable John JOHNSTON Roma Street Station Killed in Action at the Dardanelles 7 May 1915 | Constable John WARFIELD Maryborough Station Killed in Action 28 March 1918 |
| Constable Robert N. RITCHIE South Brisbane Station Died on Active Service 19 July 1915 | Constable John FITZGERALD Duchess Station Killed in Action 30 March 1918 |
| Constable Phillip C. VOWLES Woolloongabba Station Died on Active Service 2 October 1915 | Constable Harry WELLS Roma Street Station Killed in Action 31 March 1918 |
| Constable Eugene NUGENT Toogoolawah Station Killed in Action at the Dardanelles 15 October 1915 | Constable Walter W. DUMBRELL Many Peaks Station Killed in Action 19 April 1918 |
| Constable John CHRISTIANSEN Beenleigh Station Killed in Action at the Dardanelles 22 November 1915 | Constable Frederick A. WHITE Gladstone Station Killed in Action 10 June 1918 |
| Constable Joseph S. THOMPSON Bell Station Killed in Action 25 July 1916 | Constable David O’DONOGHUE Maryborough Station Killed in Action 20 June 1918 |
| Constable Thomas DEDMAN Childers Station Killed in Action at Pozieres 26 July 1916 | Constable Thomas McGILLYCUDDY Killed in Action 8 July 1918 Bundaberg Station |
| Constable George DEWHURST Mungana Station Killed in Action 5 November 1916 | Constable Claude E. CASTREE Kynuna Station Killed in Action 15 August 1918 |
| Constable William E. BISHOP Roma Street Station Killed in Action 5 November 1916 | Constable John HERBERT Police Depot, Brisbane Died of Wounds 9 September 1918 |
| Constable Peter MULVIE Roma Street Station Killed in Action 1 February 1917 | Constable Daryl J. G. DODDS M.I.D Dalby Station Killed in Action 25 September 1918 |
| Constable Archibald J. CURVEY Hughenden Station Killed in Action 3 May 1917 | Constable Ernest R. PASTORELLI Nebo Station Died in Prisoner of War Camp 12 October 1918 |
| Constable Henry M. MCLEAN Roma Street Station Killed in Action 10 September 1917 | Constable John P. TAYLOR Miles Station Died on Active Service 21 November 1918 |
This story was researched and written by Museum Assistant Debra Austin using the best archival resources available at the time of writing.
The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane.
Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“From the Vault – Plucky Courage Part 3: John Herbert” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode