Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021
Herbert Aiken 25, a carter and ex-pupil of Auburn Public School, enlisted on 9 July 1915 and embarked on the Argyllshire on 14 September 1915.
Arriving in Egypt too late for Gallipoli, Aiken was allocated to the 19th Battalion and he moved off with them to France and the Western Front. Aiken was killed in action on 29 May 1916, only a month after arriving in the Nursery sector. Private Aiken was buried in the Brewery Orchard Cemetery in the far north of France in the village of Bois Grenier. In this cemetery lie 344 identified casualties of the First World War (UK 205, Australia 125, New Zealand 13, Germany 1).
Four Auburn Memorial men lie among those buried in this cemetery. Three of them, Private Henry James Jackson 23, Private Herbert Aiken 25, and Private Henry Ernest Horton 25 served in the 19th Battalion while the fourth, Private Harold Hahn 23 served in the 18th Battalion. All four Auburn Memorial men died in minor actions and random shellfire before any major attack was launched by Australian forces on the Western Front.
According to a letter in his file, Aiken had been a Ward of the State from about age six. His single mother’s aunt, Emma Lewis, of Queen Street, Auburn, had taken him until he was about 13 or 14 when the State took him back and placed him with a farmer in the Maitland District. After a few years he returned to live with Emma Lewis and remained there until enlistment.
In 1922 Aiken’s medals were sent to his sister, Mrs L Brown, his only known blood relative.
Herbert Aiken is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Auburn Public School First World War Honour Roll
- Auburn Boys Public School Great War Photographic Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- Victory Medal
- British War Medal 1914-20
- 1914-1915 Star
