Alfred Cecil Herring

He retook a canal post and held it for eleven crucial hours.

Alfred Cecil Herring VC was a British Army officer and accountant who earned the Victoria Cross during the German Spring Offensive of 1918. Born in Tottenham, Middlesex, on 26 October 1888, he attended Tottenham County School and trained in chartered accountancy. He completed his final professional examinations in 1912 and worked as an accountant before the First World War.

Herring entered Army service in December 1914 as an acting paymaster at Chatham. Commissioned into the Army Service Corps in October 1916, he went to France and was attached to the 6th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, in September 1917.

On 23–24 March 1918, fighting around Montagne Railway Bridge near Remigny threatened British positions along the canal south of Saint-Quentin. Herring's post was isolated from neighbouring troops. He led a counterattack that recovered the position and captured twenty prisoners and six machine guns. Throughout the night, he encouraged his men as they resisted repeated attacks. Their stand delayed the German advance for eleven hours before the position was overrun and Herring became a prisoner of war.

Official Victoria Cross citation, The London Gazette, 7 June 1918, pages 6775–6776:

“For most conspicuous bravery, initiative and devotion to duty when, after severe fighting, the enemy gained a position on the south bank of the canal. His post was cut off from the troops on both flanks and surrounded. 2nd Lt. Herring, however, immediately counter-attacked, and recaptured the position together with twenty prisoners and six machine guns. During the night the post was continually attacked, but all attacks were beaten off. This was largely due to the splendid heroism displayed by 2nd Lt. Herring, who continually visited his men and cheered them up. It was entirely due to the bravery and initiative of this Officer that the enemy advance was held up for eleven hours at an exceedingly critical period. His magnificent heroism, coupled with the skilful handling of his troops, were most important factors in leading to success.”

While held at Graudenz, Herring received his Victoria Cross ribbon from the senior British officer. King George V presented the medal at Buckingham Palace on 15 February 1919, after his return to Britain. He subsequently served in military accounting and reached the rank of major.

Leaving the Army in 1922, Herring returned to accountancy and later joined the stockbroking firm Laing & Cruickshank. He retired in 1961. He died on 10 August 1966, aged 77, and was cremated at Woking, where his ashes were scattered in the Vase Garden. His medal group is preserved by the Royal Logistic Corps Museum. His story connects an accountant's military service with one of the desperate defensive actions of the First World War.