Monday 21 November 2016

Rifleman William Holmes - 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles

NAME; Holmes, William
RANK; Rifleman
SERV. NO; 12/17890
UNIT/SERVICE; 12th Battalion - Royal Irish Rifles
BORN; Carrickfergus, 8 December 1892
LIVED; Unknown
ENLISTED; Mossley, 1914
FATE; Killed in Action, France, 22 November 1917 aged 25
CEMETERY; Body Never Recovered
CHURCH; Unknown
MEMORIAL; Cambrai Memorial, Louverval (France) – Panel 10


REMARKS; William Holmes was born in Carrickfergus on 8 December 1892 the son of Andrew and Martha Holmes (nee Mackey) and half brother to Agnes, George, Gladys and Margaret (his mother died when he was a young child and his father remarried Sarah Moore in 1899).  By 1911 he was living in Ballyclare with his family and working as a cleaner at local bleach green.  He joined the 12th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles at Mossley in 1914 and following training was posted to France on active service in October 1915.  William was killed in action on 22 November 1917, his body was never recovered and he is forever remembered on panel 10 of Cambrai Memorial, Louverval (pictured).




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