Samuel Sissen was born in North Heigham, Norwich, on 8th December 1883; his parents were Ebenezer and Anna (née Ottoway). In 1901, Herbert was employed as a groom when he enlisted in the Rifle Brigade on 28th December that year. Just over three months later, on the 4th March 1902, Samuel was transferred from the Rifle Brigade to the 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Samuel’s service period was for twelve years; seven with the battalion and five in the Reserve. His army record shows that in March 1904 Samuel elected to extend his time with the battalion for a further year. In 1906, he was posted to Egypt, returning to England in 1909 and transferred to the reserve on 27th December.

In 1911, Samuel was back in Norwich living with his parents and working for a motor engineer as a telephone operator. In 1913, his four years in the reserve were completed, Samuel however, elected to sign on for a further four years. By this time, he had applied for a position at St Audry’s as an attendant, starting work there on 9th April 1913. In July 1914, Samuel married Clara Rix at St Augustine’s Church, Norwich.

When war was declared on the 4th August, Samuel was immediately called up, reporting to Chelsea Barracks where his battalion was based, leaving his bride of a month and his position at St Audry’s. On 12th August, the battalion was posted to France, arriving in Le Havre on the 14th. From here, they were posted to the Mons area, where they were forced back by the German army in what was known as the Retreat from Mons. Samuel, however, was still in London. He was sent over to France on 30th August as one of ninety-two reinforcements, joining the battalion at Faremoutiers on 4th September – Samuel and his colleagues were thrown straight into the thick of it. On 8th September, the battalion was in the front line, leading an attack to force the Germans back, and to regain some of the land lost during the Retreat from Mons. The following day, Samuel and the battalion followed the enemy over the River Marne, consolidating their positions as they went, with the brigade taking over one thousand Germans prisoner. On 11th September, the 3rd Coldstream Guards were withdrawn to billets at Oulchy-le-Château.

The battalion remained on the front line until 20th November when they were set to Méteren to regroup. The war diary says:

“The Battalion remained stationary. A much needed rest was given to the troops, clothing was issued and the battalion generally refitted.”

 Samuel wasn’t to go back into battle and was sent home on 30th December 1914, after one hundred and twenty-three days of service in France. Once in England, Samuel was promoted to Lance Corporal and, in November 1916, appointed to the Army Gym Staff as an instructor. He was discharged from the army on 19th March 1919. At the same time, he resigned from his position at St Audry’s Hospital. Samuel worked as a clerk for the next two years before rejoining the army in May 1922.

For his war service, Samuel received the 1914 Star with Clasp and Rose, and the British War and Victory Medals. In the Second World War, Samuel was commissioned as a Captain in the Home Guard in Chelmsford, Essex. He died in 1946 aged sixty-eight.