Major Alfred Cecil Herring (26 October 1888 – 10 August 1966) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces.

Early life

Alfred Cecil Herring was educated at

Tottenham County School Tottenham () is a town in North London, England, within the London Borough of Haringey. It is located in the ceremonial county of Greater London. Tottenham is centred north-northeast of Charing Cross, bordering Edmonton to the north, Walthamst ...

where he was captain of the school at cricket and football.

Details

He was 29 years old, and a temporary

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the

Royal Army Service Corps The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a corps of the British Army responsible for land, coastal and lake transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply of food, water, fuel and dom ...

, British Army, attached to 6th (S) Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 23/24 March 1918 at Montagne Bridge, France, the enemy had gained a position on the south bank of the canal and Second Lieutenant Herring's post was surrounded, but he immediately counter-attacked and recaptured the position, together with 20 prisoners and six machine-guns. During the night the post was continually attacked, but all attacks were beaten off, largely because Lieutenant Herring was frequently visiting his men and cheering them up. It was owing to his bravery and magnificent handling of his troops that the enemy advance was held up for 11 hours at a very critical period.

Further information

He was born in Tottenham, North London. He later achieved the rank of

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

. He was a Chartered Accountant by profession In 2006, a new pub on Green Lanes, Palmers Green, in North London, run by the Wetherspoons chain, was named after him.The Times, City Diary, 2006-05-31
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The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the New Royal Logistic Corps Museum, RHQ The RLC, Building 204, Worthy Down Barracks, Winchester. SO21 2RG. (date 2021) signed KMB

References and sources

;References ;Sources * Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999) * The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997) * VCs of the First World War - Spring Offensive 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 1997)

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Woking Crematorium)'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Herring, Alfred Cecil 1888 births 1966 deaths Royal Army Service Corps officers British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army personnel of World War I People from Tottenham British World War I prisoners of war World War I prisoners of war held by Germany British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from London