Herbert Cannon was born in Kilmimgton, Somerset in 1881. His parents, Luke and Fanny had both been born in Somerset at North Brewham and Witham Friary, respectively. Herbert was the middle of five children. On the 1891 census, Willie, 17, and Mabel, 14, were older and Kate, 6, and Alfred, 1, were younger. Herbert was 9 at this time and attending school. Their address is recorded as ‘Border Cottage’, Hammer Street, Wincanton.

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By the turn of the century, the 1901 census has the family moved to Gloucester and their address as 9 Church Road, Westbury Upon Trym. Like his father, Herbert is working as a ‘general labourer’. Other than the two older children have now moved out, very little has changed in the household.

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The 1911 census shows the first evidence that I can find of Herbert moving to Devon. At this point he is living at ‘Sunnyside’, Beaford, where he is a boarder with the Petherick family. He was employed as domestic chauffeur at that time. The following year Herbert would marry local girl, Florence Ashplant. They would have two children; Austen, born in 1914 and Herbert, born in 1916.

After being served with a conscription notice, reports from May 1916 show that he appealed to the Exeter Tribunal to avoid this on domestic grounds. He would have been 34 at the time. The appeal was upheld till the end of July. Shortly afterwards, the family moved to Great Torrington at 5 Well Street.

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Herbert enlisted with Army Service Corps in the 706th Motor Transport Company as a Private; his service number was M2/201186. The unit would serve on the Macedonian front of Salonika campaign. This is theatre is considered one of the lesser known conflicts of the First World War. Between 1915 and 1918, troops from Britain were sent to join a multi-national force to fight against the Bulgarian forces and their allies in the Balkans region. Disease and the severe conditions were a big a test as the enemy. The 706th acted as a supply column for the Serbian army between June 1916 and March 1919.

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Herbert contracted pneumonia whilst on service in Serbia and passed away on 9th November 1918. He is buried at the Chela Kula Military Cemetery in Serbia. The inscription on his headstone, which was chosen by his wife, reads: “UNTIL THE DAY BREAKS AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY”. As well as on the Great Torrington War Memorial, Herbert is also remembered on the Beaford Roll of Honour.

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I have been unable to trace any descendants of Private Cannon, but I believe that some relatives will have the name ‘Jefferson’. Please contact me if you have any further information.