SLIM, Herbert

Herbert Slim was the son of Harry and Lois Slim of Woodland Road, Blackheath, and was married to Mary. He volunteered for the Grenadiers and was sent to the 3rd Battalion. In July 1915 they crossed to France and spent the rest of the year in the Ypres salient. The Guards were brought to the Somme for the September phase of the great battle of 1916. The objective for the attacks on the 13-15 September was to capture the Quadrilateral, a powerful defensive system near Ginchy, and to advance to Lesboeufs. It was a hard fought attack but a real advance was achieved. The cost was 395 Grenadier casualties including Sergeant Herbert Slim who was killed in action on the 14th September. He was 28 years of age and is buried in the Guards Cemetery, Lesboeufs (I F 9) and commemorated on the Blackheath and Halesowen Memorials.