Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

7 June - 11 July 1917. The plan at Messines was to blow up 19 mines in what was the largest man made explosion before Hiroshima, and utterly destroy the German front line along the Messines Ridge. The effect was to "liquify" the ground and create a mini earthquake, which coupled with the largest artillery preparation thus far of over 3 million shells would stun the defenders into submission. The plan largely worked and was initially very successful although the Germans did re-group and opportunities to develop the attack were lost. Casualties in this victory were 25,000.

Detail :

His death is reported in the Lancashire Evening Post on the 4th July, 1917 - "LATE LIEUT. H.E. POLLARD, BURNLEY. Lieut. Herbert E. Pollard, of Burnley, who has been killed in action whilst serving in the Royal Engineers. Educated at the Burnley Grammar School, he served his articles with the borough engineer at Accrington, afterwards accepted a post on the Municipal Board of Works, Shanghai, and returning home on vacation five years ago, acquired the qualification of A.M.I.C.E. On the outbreak of war he paid his passage home to join the Army. His parents live at 21, Colville-street, Burnley.

A further article, possibly from the same paper at the same time pays tribute to "AN EVENTFUL LIFE." It goes on, "ANOTHER BURNLEY OFFICER KILLED. Commended for Valuable Work in Gallipoli. In a letter to the father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Pollard, 21, Colville-street, Burnley Lane, received on Saturday evening, news comes of the death of their second son. Lieut. Herbert E. Pollard, of the Royal Engineers. The young and gallant Lieutenant was in his 34th year, and had experienced many memorable happenings during his comparatively short career. His apprenticeship was served under Mr. Newton, borough engineer, at the Accrington Town Hall. In an interview with our representative, Mr. Newton expressed the general esteem in which his late pupil was held by himself and staff. Ten years ago, Mr. Pollard went out to Shanghai, China, having obtained an important engagement by the City Municipality Board of Works there. Five years later, the young man came over to Burnley, and during his vacation, presented himself at Owens College, Manchester, where he successfully passed his final examination, being awarded the diploma of A.M.I.C.E. Returning to Shanghai he, being a member of the City Volunteer Corps, took part in quelling the riots which occurred in the Eastern Canton. Upon the outbreak of the present war he, along with 300 Europeans, journeyed home, and joined up in H.M. Forces, first in the 7th East Lancashires, becoming 2nd-Lieutenant, and being on transfer, he was appointed First Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers he did valuable work in Gallipoli. It fell to the young Burnley Lieutenant to be detailed to prepare the plans of the viaduct, roads, &c., by which the troops affected their departure. For skill and efficiency here Lieut. Herbert Pollard was specially commended in the official report of the General Commanding the forces. This fact was reported in "The Burnley News" at the time. After serving in Egypt, his company caome on to join up with the British Expeditionary Force in France. It was here that, on Tuesday, 26th June, the young officer fell. Captain Mitchell, of the 134th Army Troop, R.E., writes of his late comrade: - "He was a careful, energetic, and conscientious officer. His comrade officers, Lieut. Hall and myself, will sorely miss him. He died instantly, and without any pain whatever, at 3.30 on the 26th. He was buried the following morning in the military cemetery close by, I am having a cross erected over grave." The elder brother of Leiut. Pollard is a captain of the Army Veterinary Corps, and is on duty in France. His wife is the daughter of the late Alderman W. Armistad, J.P. Captain Pollard ided service with the Government during the South African War. As a scholar and occasional teacher at Colne-road Wesleyan Sunday School, Lieut. Herbert was always regarded as a staunch, intelligent, and clean-living youth. The utmost sympathy is extended to his father and mother in their irreparable loss."

Another version appears in the Burnley Express & Advertiser 4th July 1917 -ANOTHER OFFICER FALLS - Careful & Conscientious which is a syndication of his story. See Burnley in the Great War.

His funeral was recorded by the Burnley Express on the 25th July, 1917 and reads: "THE LATE LIEUT. H.E. POLLARD. The service held in the Colne-road Wesleyan Church on Sunday was most impressive in memory of Lieut. Herbert. E. Pollard, who, after a distinguished career in Gallipoli and Egypt - in connection with which his services were especially mentioned in the official despatches - fell in action in France. The Rev. Joseph Manning was the preacher on Sunday, and the choir, under Mr. G. Walmsley, rendered Sir Fredk. Bridge's setting, "Crossing the Bar." The humn, "God of the living, " was sung to Mr. H.J.E. Helmes' beautiful tune, "Pater Omnium," and Mr. H. Rycroft, A.R.C.O., played Handel's Requiem March in "Saul."

He lies commemorated at his grave in the Ferme - Olivier Cemetery, Elverdinghe, Belgium, Plot 2 Row A Grave 10.

Masonic :

Brother Herbert Edward Pollard was born in 1884. Nothing could be discovered of his early life. He was initiated in March 1909 at the age of 25, was passed the following month and raised two months later (does this suggest a shortage of candidates) but did not thereafter hold office. He was employed as an assistant engineer in the Public Works Department of the Shanghai Municipal Council. Britain entered the war in August, Bro Pollard must have responded very quickly. He was commissioned on 30 December of the same year into an infantry regiment but, being an engineer, transferred to the Royal Engineers in March 1915. His unit, one of the Army Troops Companies (the 133rd), was 'intended for rear area work such as water supply ..... (forming) gun positions for heavy artillery .... engineer dumps and workshops' etc. He was promoted 'lieutenant on 11 July 1915 and probably went to France with his unit that month. Awarded Mention in Dispatches around September 1915' his unit served through the Battles of the Somme. In June 1917 the unit was carrying out preparatory work for the Battle of Ypres. The unit diary records 26 June 1917 'Company moved on ONDANK under orders .... Lieut Pollard RE killed by shell fire'. Research courtesy of Paul Corser, Hong Kong


The 1921 Masonic Roll of Honour lists Herbert Pollard as the Junior Warden of his lodge but this is incorrect. It seems that the compiler of the Roll applied that rank to Pollard in error as it should have been related to Frederich DEFRIES of the same lodge. See his record.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley