William Edgar Holmes
William Edgar Holmes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 26 June 1895 Wood Stanway, Gloucestershire |
| Died | 9 October 1918 Cattenières, France |
| Buried | Carnieres Communal Cemetery Extension |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1915-1918 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | Gloucestershire Regiment Grenadier Guards |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
William Edgar Holmes VC (26 June 1895 – 9 October 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Holmes was 23 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards, British Army during the First World War. On 9 October 1918 at Cattenières, France, he performed the deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He died in action that day.[1]
No. 16796 Pte. William Edgar Holmes, late 2nd Bn., G. Gds. (Didbrook, nr. Winchcombe, Glos.).
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty at Cattenieres on the 9th October, 1918.
Pte. Holmes carried in two men under the most intense fire, and, while he was attending to a third case, he was severely wounded. In spite of this, he continued to carry wounded, and was shortly afterwards again wounded, with fatal results. By his self-sacrifice and disregard of danger he was the means of saving the lives of several of his comrades.
After a service to commemorate the centenary of his death at St George's Church Didbrook, Dame Janet Trotter OBE DBE CVO (Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucester) unveiled a VC Stone to honour Edgar, Didbrook's most famous son.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Grenadier Guards RHQ), Wellington Barracks, London.
References
- ^ "Casualty Details: Holmes, William Edgar". Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
- ^ "No. 31082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 December 1918. pp. 15118–15119.
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)
External links
- William Edgar Holmes at Find a Grave
- Cheltenham & Gloucester Branch - The Western Front Association Newsletter, September 2008
- Medal entitlement of Private William Edgar Holmes
- Use dmy dates from September 2010
- 1895 births
- 1918 deaths
- British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
- Grenadier Guards soldiers
- British Army personnel of World War I
- British military personnel killed in World War I
- People from Stanway, Gloucestershire
- Gloucestershire Regiment soldiers
- British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross