Herbert John Peek was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire in early summer 1892, the only child of John Peek and Annie Maria Gurney. Herbert’s father John was from Apsley and had left school to work as a "Bricklayer’s Labourer" but, this all changed when he married Annie Maria Gurney in 1890. The Gurney family ran a laundry and John Peek started working for the business as soon as he was married. By the time of the 1901 census, when Herbert was eight-years-old, his family lived in Weymouth Street in Apsley and his father was recorded as a "Laundry Proprietor". As soon as he left school, Herbert joined his father’s business and trained as a "Machinist", the job he was still working in when he eventually enlisted for service.

By 1911, the Peek family had moved the business from Apsley and re-located to Cemmaes Terrace in Crouchfield, close to Cemmaes Court and Lockers Park. Shortly after this move, Herbert contracted bronchitis which unfortunately proved to be a chronic affliction. His condition may have been as a result of inhaling fumes from chemicals used in the laundry business, over a prolonged period. His illness was enough however to initially prevent him from enlisting when war broke out, but despite this he volunteered for service in March 1916, shortly after the Military Services Act was passed in January of that year. He was immediately posted to the Army Reserve and it was not until the 12th April 1917 that Herbert was actually called up and mobilised.

He went to Bedford where he enlisted with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and was first posted to the Corps HQ at Blackpool. At the time of his enlistment, Herbert was described as 5 feet 5¼ inches tall, with a chest measurement of 33½ inches, "Poorly" developed and weighing slightly over 7 stones. Despite this and the fact that his medical condition meant he would have been prone to coughing and wheezing, he was passed fit for service. It must have been apparent immediately upon his arrival in Blackpool that his condition was a potential problem because, within six weeks of joining his unit he was admitted to Victoria Hospital in the town.

It may have been the case that the exertion during his physical training had exacerbated his Bronchitis. Following his admission to hospital and subsequent examination, he was diagnosed with not only asthma and chronic bronchitis, but also cardiac dilation and emphysema. We know this today as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD, a progressive and incurable condition and one which at the time was certainly fatal. Herbert remained in hospital receiving treatment for the next five months until finally, on the 25th October 1917, he was formally discharged from the Army as "…no longer physically fit for war service", and he made his way back to Hemel Hempstead and his family.

Back home, Herbert’s condition progressively worsened, until he was again admitted to hospital in early 1918. He remained in West Herts Hospital in Hemel Hempstead until shortly before his death, which finally came on Wednesday, 29th May 1918. He was buried in Heath Lane Cemetery in the town on Saturday, 1st June 1918 in a ceremony conducted by the Reverend Percy George, the Minister of Marlowes Baptist Church where Herbert had worshipped. He was commemorated on the Memorial Plaque in the church. Following his passing, a brief death notice was posted in the Hemel Gazette.

Herbert is not commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for the simple reason that his discharge from the Army was due to illness that was in not associated with military service and indeed, had been pre-existing before his enlistment. This may seem harsh, but it in no way lessens Hebert’s efforts to serve his country, especially given that his physical condition was clearly so dire, that within two years of enlisting he had died of his illness.

He was 26 years old when he died.