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Australia

31st Battalion, B Company, Australian Infantry, A.I.F.

Lance Corporal Holley was 25 and the son of Eliza Holley, of Palmwoods, Queensland and sometime of Southbrook, Toowoomba, Queensland , and the late Frederick Holley.

His mother's addresses subsequently were- Rosedale Farm, Wyreema, via Toowoomba, Queensland (2 November 1916); then, c/o Mr Buchanan, Bellavesta, Mullumbimby; then, c/o Mrs McAuliffe, Margaret Street, Toowoomba, Darling Downs, Queensland (15 March 1921); then, corner of Green Street and Tingal Road, Wynnum, Queensland (7 November 1921); Palmwoods, North Coast Line, Queensland (20 October 1922)

Births Mar 1891   Holley Clifford Bridgwater 5c 373 or 378 
Age on arrival in Australia-19.

Address-Southbrook, Toowoomba, Queensland.

Enlistment date-29 June 1915
Place of enlistment-Brisbane, Queensland
Rank on enlistment-Private
 
AWM Embarkation Roll number-23/48/1
Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on 9 November 1915

Age at embarkation-24.

 
Two ships left from Melbourne carrying the 31st Battalion Headquarters and Companies A, B, C and D: HMAT A62, 'Wandilla', on 9 November 1915 and HMAT A41, 'Bakara', on 5 November 1915. It is not possible from the Embarkation Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked.
Rank from Nominal Roll-Private
Other details from Roll of Honour Circular:
'Had learnt the Engine driving on the Somerset and Dorset Railway before he left England. After arrival in Australia started dairying and working on the land. Buried at Sailleys Sur-la-ly Cemetery.' Details from his mother.

Two brothers are known to have served with Australian forces-Private Bertie Holley -Service Number 3328 - 15th Battalion was killed in action, 11 April 1917in France, and Private Henry James Holley -Service Number 537, also of the 31st Battalion, survived the war and returned to Australia 9 February 1919.

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Disembarked Suez, ex-HMT 'Wandilla', 7 December 1915.

Appointed Lance Corporal, Moascar, 6 June 1916.

Admitted to No 8 Field Ambulance, 10 June 1916 (pyrexia of unknown origin); transferred to No 24 Stationary Hospital, Moascar, 12 June 1916 (sick, severe); discharged to unit, 14 June 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Reported missing, 19 July 1916.

Previous report of missing, now, 28 July 1916, to be reported as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'.

Statement, Red Cross File No 1360111, 453 Pte H.J. HUDSON, 31st Battalion, 28 August 1916: 'I knew L/Cpl. Holley and I was told by a mate that he had seen Holley's dead body in No Man's Land on the 19th. July at Fleurbaix, about 7.30-8 p.m. L/Cpl. Holley's brother, H.J. Holley, has recently told me that his brother was dead and his disc had been brought in from No Man's Land.'

NAA: B2455, HOLLEY Clifford
Red Cross file 1360111