With the introduction of universal military training in 1911 he became area officer for Drummoyne and was promoted to captain on 4 January 1911, he transferred to the 21st Infantry on 1 July 1912.

Herring was appointed to the Australian Imperial Force on 4 October 1914 with the rank of captain in the 13th Infantry Battalion.

[3] The battalion left Sydney on 22 December 1914 for Egypt, where Herring was promoted to major and given command of 'D' Company on 1 February 1915.

Ordered to take his company up to Russell's Top and link up with the New Zealanders, Herring and his men climbed the thick scrub opposite Pope's Hill.

After taking heavy casualties Herring decided to pull back his line a bit.

Just as Herring was about to order the charge, there was a sudden burst of enemy fire, which abruptly almost ceased.

For his leadership at Pozières, Herring was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

Herring, who had ordered repeated attacks on pillboxes that his men could not capture, was again mentioned in dispatches.

[4] Herring resumed his career as real estate agent, and ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as a Nationalist candidate at the 1920 election for Ryde.