Educated at Winchester College, Herbert was active in the debating society and the Shakespeare society. He also took an active role in football. He then attended New College, Oxford on a scholarship. He had contributed some verse to Punch, but it was first in 1910 that his Stones of Venus was published. At around this time he began contributing to other periodicals, such as The Observer and Vanity Fair. Herbert switched from the classics to law and received his degree in Jurisprudence in 1914. In September of that year, he enlisted as an ordinary seaman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. In 1915, he was commissioned a sub-lieutenant and posted to Hawke Battalion of the Royal Naval Division and sent to Gallipoli. In command of No. 11 Platoon, C Company, he took part in the Third Battle Of Krithia, where his group suffered heavy casualties. Though not wounded, he became ill and was hospitalized. He returned in 1916 and took part in the Battle of Ancre in France. During a later attack on Gavrelle, Herbert was wounded by shrapnel. While on medical leave, he wrote his first book, The Secret Battle.In 1918, he was assistant to the Commodore and visited many sites in Egypt and North Africa. His book was published in 1919 and was a critical, if not popular, success. Herbert was called to the bar by Inner Temple. He spent some time there, but never practised law. Rather, he concentrated on writing and published his second book, The House By the River, in 1920. In 1924, he joined the staff of Punch. He produced a couple of plays in the 1920s. In 1935, Herbert ran successfully for Parliament as an Independent candidate for Oxford University. He was active over the ensuing years and continued to be re-elected until 1950 when the University seats were abolished. He then continued writing, producing novels, plays and poetry until his death in 1971. His other works include Little Rays of Moonshine (1921), The Old Flame (1925), The Water Gipsies (1930), Uncommon Law (1935), General Cargo (1940), Topsy Turvy (1947), Why Waterloo? (1952), Silver Stream (1962), The Thames (1966) and More Uncommon Law (1982 Posthumous). |
