Frederick Arthur Holmes
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
He was the youngest son of Frederick Arthur and Jael Holmes (nee Sanders) who were married in1891 and had four children, three boys and one girl. In 1911 they were living at 11 Wilford Grove, Meadows, with their children, Henry (19), Eleanor/Nelly later Somerfield (17), George (16) and Frederick Arthur, known as 'Fred', (12). Also in the household was Frederick Arthur senior's widowed mother-in-law, Jael Sanders. Frederick's brother, Henry, served as a private in the 116th Coy Machine Gun Corps; he died of wounds in France on 8 August 1917, six days before Frederick's death. A declaration signed by his father on 29 May 1919, witnessed by the vicar of St Saviour's, Meadows, listed Frederick's living relatives as his parents and sister, Eleanor Somerfield, also of 11 Wilford Grove; his brother George was not mentioned. Frederick's mother died in 1934 and his father 10 years later in 1944; he was still living at 11 Wilford Grove and his daughter Eleanor Somerfield ('widow') was his executor.
Private 3550, 20059, 203325 (Medal Roll). His army service record survives. He enlisted on 10 November 1914 when his age was given as 19 years 7 months although a handwritten note at the bottom of one of the army forms gives his date of birth as 1898; CWGC gives his age when he died as 19 and he was 12 years old at the time of the 1911 census. It would seem, therefore, that he added 2 years to his age when he enlisted - he was 5ft 9inches tall and weighed about 9 stone so may have appeared older than his years. He was accepted for service in the 7th (Reserve) Btn Sherwood Foresters although he later transferred to other battalions. He was on home service from 10 November 1914-17 August 1915, France from 18 August 1915-12 April 1916, home service from13 April 1916-17 November 1916, France from 18 November 1916-22 March 1917 and home 23 March 1917-14 August 1917. He was wounded in action on 2 March 1917 but rejoined his unit the following day. On 15 March he received a wound to his right leg and on 19 March was admitted to hospital in Etaples and then invalided to England. He died in the Military Hospital, Grimsby, of pneumonia on 14 August 1917 and was buried in Nottingham General Cemetery (grave ref 17539). He served a total of 2 years and 278 days. He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A third brother (see in memoriam notice below ) was also killed in the war : - Sgt. George H. Holmes, 5th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, was killed in action on 24th September 1918. He is commemorated on Vis-en-Artois Memorial. Nottingham Post notice (abridged), 15 August 1917: 'Holmes. Died of wounds August 8th, Private Henry Holmes, eldest son of Mr and Mrs Holmes, 11 Wilford Grove, also Fred, youngest son, died in hospital Grimsby August 14th from pneumonia after being recently wounded. Mother, father, sister, brother.' The receipt for his medals (21 January 1922) was signed by his mother, Mrs J Holmes. In memoriam published 14th August 1919 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “HOLMES. – In loving memory of our dear sons Pte. Henry Holmes, M.G.C., died of wounds in France August 8th, 1917; Pte. Fred Holmes, Sherwood Foresters, died in hospital at Grimsby August 14th, 1917; and Sgt. Geo. Holmes, killed in action Sept. 24th, 1918 Always in our thoughts. – Loving mother, father, sister, and grandson. “HOLMES. – In loving memory of Pte. Fred Holmes, died Aug 14th, 1917. Fondly remembered. – Florrie and Freddie.” Above in memory is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
