Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George : Lieutenant Colonel E E Herrod, 7 Battalion, AIF

Neck decoration of a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. Unnamed as issued.

Associated with the service of Ernest Edward Herrod. Herrod was born on 21 June 1885 at Redfern, Sydney. He served joined the militia in 1905, initially serving with the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment. In 1913 he transferred to the 25th Signal Company, Australian Engineers. With the outbreak of war, he enlisted as a second lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 17 August 1914. He landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 with the 2nd Battalion and was promoted to lieutenant that day. He was promoted to captain in September and continued to work at Anzac until he was evacuated sick in December 1915. He was sent to France with 2nd Battalion in 1916 and promoted to Major in October. He was given temporary command of 2nd Battalion in early 1917 for three months. On 10 May 1917 he was given temporary command of 7th Battalion AIF, with the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel. He was made permanent lieutenant colonel and commander of 7th Battalion in August and commanded the battalion for the rest of the war. In 1919 Herrod was made a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG). The recommendation for the award reads, ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as commanding Officer 7th Battalion, A.I.F. during the period 25th February to 16th September 1918. Lieut.-Colonel HERROD has always commanded his battalion very efficiently and has displayed qualities of organisation and administration as well as a tactical ability of a very high order. His good judgement and excellent leadership were every largely responsible for the capture of ground and prisoners in the MERRIS Sector and for the success achieved by his Battalion in the LIHONS and HERLEVILLE WOOD engagements. In the operation resulting in the capture of LIHONS the tactical handling of his troops was carried out under very difficult circumstances owing to the unit on his flank not moving forward until four hours after the attack had commenced, and it was very largely due to Lieut.-Colonel HERROD’S personal reconnaissances and quick grasp of the situation that enabled him to successfully accomplish the task allotted to him. Throughout the whole period in question his work has been of the highest quality, and his bravery and devotion to duty most marked.’ He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), Mentioned in Despatches (MID) four times, and awarded the Serbian Order of the White Eagle 5th Class. He commanded the Australian troops marching in the 1919 Victory Parade in London and returned to Australia on board HMAT Euripides, arriving in Australia in October 1919. After demobilization he resumed service in the citizen forces and commanded 45th Battalion from 1921 to 1926. In 1926 he received the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers Decoration for 20 years of service. During the Second World War Herrod held several AIF staff appointments in Australia, including commanding the 3rd Rehabilitation Unit. He retired as an honorary colonel in 1947. Herrod died on 7 June 1966.