23094 Private Herbert Lane
Died 16th October 1918 age 30
Herbert was born in 1888 in Wareham to John & Annie Lane. John was a cattleman and the family moved to a farm cottage attached to Parley Court Farm, East Parley.
Herbert joined the 10th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment, “D” Company, which was sent to Kirechkoi-Hortakoi, Greece for the Salonika campaign. On September 18th 1918, the influenza epidemic arrived in the camp and raged for 3 months. The 10ths ranks were badly depleted and Herbert died 16th October 1918 and is buried in the Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery. As said earlier by a couple of archivists, when the record says “died” at this time it usually means the influenza epidemic and three quarters of this cemetery is filled with the victims.
Herbert was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
His grave is in Greece, in the Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery, but he is commemorated in the West Parley Memorial Hall.
Excerpts taken from Lesley Wilson’s book
They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We Will Remember Them