Percy Herbert
Stalwart of British war movies
Percy Herbert, born
31 July 1920, died of heart attack on 6 December 1992 was a British actor best
known for his appearances in some of the all-time classic British war movies.
Percy volunteered for
service with the Army at the start of WW2 and was sent to the Royal Army
Ordinance Corps. His unit was sent to the Far East and travelled there by ship,
unfortunately the vessel was attacked upon its arrival at Singapore and Herbert
was forced to jump ship and swim ashore (with a broken collar bone). Upon
rescue by British troops he was sent to the British Military Hospital at
Singapore where amazingly he was one of only eleven (11) survivors of the
Alexandria Hospital Massacre by the Japanese! Although he was ultimately
captured and sent to the notorious Changi Prison Camp from where he was
assigned to work on the Burma Railroad. He spent four years in captivity until
freed by American troops at the end of the war.
After the war, he was
helped by Dame Sybil Thorndike to secure an interview with the Royal Academy of
Dramatic Arts where he won a scholarship. His acting career began in the
theatre, which included working at John Gielgud`s Old Vic Company. He had a long career with over 90 films and
television programs as credits.
Percy`s first major war movie was as Marine Lomas in
the classic 1955 film Cockleshell Heroes
with the superb Jóse Ferrer and stalwart British actor Trevor Howard about the
commando raid on the docks at Bordeaux.
Next up we have A
Hill in Korea (1956) an interesting movie which was made to publicise how
vital National Service personnel were to todays army. Among other up and coming
British actors in the movie we find a young Michael Caine get his first
credited role under his own name! The film also had Stanley Baker and Robert
Shaw. Herbert played a simple private soldier – Moon
The Steel Bayonet (1957) is set in Tunisia where a British unit is sent to defend an outlying farm against a German counter-attack. A simple scenario, highlighting the work of artillery FOOs, Herbert again plays a private soldier – Clark
The
Bridge of the River Kwai (1957) needs no introduction,
directed by David Lean with stand-out performances by Alec Guinness &
William Holden, winning seven Academy Awards and being the highest-grossing
film of 1957! Herbert played the role of Private Grogan, but when David Lean
learned of his wartime experiences he was given an extra job as an advisor and
paid an additional £5.00 a week. Herbert is also credited for suggesting the
use of The Colonel Bogey March
whistled by the prisoners as they march!
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Sea
of Sand (1958) Classic LRDG movie about a raid on an Axis
petrol dump miles behind the lines. Herbert plays Corporal “Blanco” White the
running mate of Richard Attenborough`s Trooper Brody. A great film which has
aged pretty well.
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Yesterday`s
Enemy (1959) is a seriously gritty war movie set during the
Japanese offensive in Burma, the remains of a British unit led by Stanley Baker
trying to make their way back to Allied lines through thick jungle. Eventually
they come upon and native village only to discover a senior Japanese officer
and important information which needs to be sent back to HQ. So Baker decides
to hold the village whilst his Sergeant (played by another stalwart actor
Gordon Jackson) trys to get through. Herbert plays the radio operator Wilson
Tunes
of Glory (1960) an interesting film about officers and mess
politics after the war, starring Alec Guinness & John Mills. Herbert plays
the RSM Riddick
Guns
of Navarone (1961) All-star cast, based on the
Alistair Maclean`s novel. Herbert has a small part as a Sergeant at one the
islands.
Guns
at Batasi (1964) set in an unnamed African state where a group
of senior British NCOs led by RSM Lauderdale (Richard Attenborough) find
themselves in the middle of a coup. Some of the speeches are simply amazing,
the clash between modern post-colonial attitudes and those who wish to sweep it
all away is stark. Herbert plays one of the NCOs – Colour Sergeant Ben Parkin
Tobruk
(1967) An American war movie starring Rock Hudson and George Peppard about an
LRDG raid to knock out coastal guns near Tobruk. Herbert plays Pvt Dolan part
of a light hearted duo with Norman Rossington who plays ex-jailbird Alfie
Braithwaite
Too
Late the Hero (1970) directed by Robert Aldrich, this
film is about a commando raid into Japanese held territory by the British (led
by bumbling Denholm Elliot) with the plan of getting American Lieutenant Junior
Grade Lawson (played by Cliff Robertson) to the Japanese base and transmitting
a fake message. The action is brutal, the cast all regular British actors
(Michael Caine stars). Herbert plays Sergeant Johnson
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