Herbert was the son of Henry Samuel Manning and Marion Manning (both originally from England), of 4 Grand Trunk House, Point Edward, Ontario. Herbert’s mother, Marion, had five brothers, and thirteen brothers-in-law (two of whom were killed) who served in the Great War. Showing her patriotism, Mrs. Manning was quoted as saying, “I would enlist myself if I could.” Herbert’s father, Henry, had seen 12 years of service in the British army and enlisted in December 1915, with the 149th Battalion. He attained the rank of Sergeant and was on special service in London but was unable to go to France on account of his age.

Parents Henry and Marion would have four sons. Herbert was the eldest Manning son, with brothers Cecil, Harry, and Alfred. Along with their father Henry, sons Herbert, Cecil, Harry and Alfred would all serve in the Great War. Henry, Cecil, Harry and Albert would all enlist with the Lambton 149th. Herbert would enlist with the British Forces. The second eldest was Cecil, who was employed as a chauffeur in the city, enlisting on June 15th, 1915, with the 1st Canadian Contingent, becoming a Corporal. Cecil was wounded at Ypres on June 15th, 1915, after having been through many of the hard fought engagements such as St. Julien, Langemarck, Armentieres and Ypres. He was discharged and declared unfit for further service in 1916, and would return to England to reside. The third eldest son was Harry Manning, who enlisted in 1915 with the 34th Battalion. He would become a Corporal, and was wounded on July 25th, 1916, where he then did light duty at the Canadian Record Office in London, England. The youngest son was Alfred Manning, enlisting in January of 1916 with the 149th Battalion, later transferring to the Forestry Battalion, going over to France in October 1917.

Herbert Manning the eldest son, enlisted in 1915 in Sarnia, with the British Army. Herbert would become a sergeant (#9457) with the 10th Battalion, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. He would spend two years in the trenches before losing his life on March 27, 1918, during the Battle of Arras, France. In early May of 1918, Herbert’s mother Marion in Point Edward would receive a cablegram advising her that her son Herbert had fallen while in action. Herbert would be the only one of the family of five Mannings fighting in the Great War to pay the supreme sacrifice. Twenty-seven year old Herbert Manning is memorialized on the Arras Memorial, Bay 2, Pas de Calais, France.

SOURCES: A, B, C, N