The 1914/15 Star and Memorial Plaque issued to the next-of-kin of 8/875 Herbert Lloyd Hoff, who saw extensive service on Gallipoli and the Western Front, was wounded twice and posthumously mentioned in despatches.

 

Herbert Hoff was born 26th July 1893 at Ravensbourne, Dunedin. Son of Peter and Helen Hoff (née Blackie). At the time of his enlistment in August 1914 he was working as a fitter for the Schlaadt Brothers engineering firm. He embarked with the Main Body NZEF and landed on Gallipoli on 25th April 1915 with 4th (Otago) Company, Otago Infantry Battalion. He served throughout the major part of the campaign, until being invalided to Malta in mid-August 1915 suffering from enteric. He later recovered in the UK before returning to Egypt and then deploying to France with the NZ Division in the rank of corporal.

 

Herbert distinguished himself on 8th July 1916, during a Mills bomb cleaning exercise. One of his squad had accidentally removed the pin of a grenade, and it was Herbert Hoff's quick action in picking it up throwing it clear that saved many lives. He was mentioned in NZEF Orders for this feat. His service file shows he was wounded the same day so it is likely he suffered wounds while performing his brave action.

 

Herbert returned to his unit in December 1916, and in APril 1917 was promoted to sergeant. During the Battle of Messines, Herbert was wounded a second time, with a gunshot wound to his body. After recovering he returned to his unit on 11th October 1917, the day before the disastrous attack at Passchendaele. During the attack of the 1st Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment at Polderhoek Chateau on 3rd December 1917, Herbert was killed in action. He was postumously Mentioned in Despatches (L.G. 28/5/1918). The Otago Regimental History described the losses at Polderhoek Chateau: "Every officer of the Regiment who went into the attack became a casualty, and at the same time the Battalion lost some of its best senior non-commissioned officers. Among the latter were Sergt. J. Hoff (sic) and Sergt. J. Guthrie, two Main Body soldiers, who were killed in the van of the attack."

 

The 1914/15 Star is correctly impressed 8/875 Sgt. H.L. HOFF. N.Z.E.F. and the Memorial Plaque is uniquely embossed HERBERT LLOYD HOFF.