Herbert Baldwin was born in Peldon, Essex, where his father worked as a farm servant. He was one of four children.
Before the First World War he was a grocers assistant but managed to move on to run his own business.
By 1920 his was living at Castle Road, Rayleigh. He married Amy Rosina Talbot 2 Nov 1920 and they had three children over the next 9 years, a boy and two girls.
Herbert was Brother of the Trinity Lodge of Freemasons
It has not been possible to definitely confirm yet that this Herbert William Baldwin was a Special Duties civilian, but he is in the same area as the others on this list
| Unit or location | Role | Posted from | until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hockley Outstation | Observer | Unknown | 20 Jul 1944 |
Retired Grocer and Provision Dealer
17 Mar 1915 Enlisted in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps as Private 05440. He was recorded as being 5 feet 6 inches tall and having blue eyes.
19 Nov 1915 Arrived in Egypt
14 Apr 1918 Transferred to the 1/4 Battalion Essex Regiment as Private 45474
28 Aug 1918 - 13 Dec 1918 Admitted to hospital with an abscess of his right palm
23 May 1919 - 20 Jun 1919 Admitted to hospital
4 Aug 1919 Discharged from the Army
The name H W Baldwin appears in the nominal roll for the Essex Auxiliary Units Patrols. However, it is part of a list that includes known Special Duties men under the name of the Special Duties Intelligence Officer Captain Childe. It is thought this is a rare documentary confirmation of involvement in Special Duties. The organisation's nominal roll is thought to have been lost after the war, the Home Guard Patrols nominal roll surviving as it was being used to award the Defence Medal, which the Special Duties personnel were not eligible to receive.
WO 199/3389
WO 372/1/202609
https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/152407
British Newspaper Archive
1939 register