Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leading Aircraftman Ernest John Holdsworth (Service No:52509) initially served in the ACMF (Service No:V67648) as a Gunner and Driver with 15th Field Regiment from 18 April 1940 to 2 March 1942 - Gunner Holdsworth Discharged in order to return to the family farm in Hexham until his father was able to recruit workers. LAC Holdsworth then enlisted in the RAAF on 26 March 1942 at No 1 Recruiting Centre Melbourne as an Aircraftman I - mustered as Flight Rigger, remustered as Air Crew. Through 1942 Aircraftman Holdsworth - described as 'Excellent type. Bright, alert, with plenty of vim' (NAA) was attached to No 11 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Benalla; No 4 School of Technical Training (STT) Adelaide; No 1 Engineering School (ES) Ascot Vale and No 8 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) Bundaberg. Promoted to Leading Aircraftman in 1943, he was posted to No 2 Embarkation Depot (ED) Bradfield Park; No 1 Reserve Personnel Pool (RPP) Townsville; No 28 Operational Base Unit (OBU) Horne Island; No 1 Initial Training School (ITS) Somers. Through 1944/1945 LAC Holdsworth was posted to No 7 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Tasmania and No 4 School of Technical Training (STT) Adelaide. LAC Holdsworth was attached to No 1 Operational Training Unit (OTU) Sale at Discharge on 3 August 1945.

Born in Terang, Victoria in 1919, Ernest was the second of five children of Ernest Holdsworth Snr (b1890 in Geelong, Victoria) and second wife Annie Hollaway (b1892 in Benalla, Victoria). Ernest Snr - a Widower with one child - was a Farmer at Mortlake in 1918 when he and Annie (a Dressmaker in Mortlake) married in Casterton. They settled in Hexham via Mortlake where they raised their family and Ernest Snr was a Farmer/Grazier.

Ernest worked in Hexham as Farm Labourer on the family farm before moving to Melbourne where he was a Salesman (Hardware) in 1940 when he enlisted in the ACMF.  Ernest Discharged to return to Hexham when his father was unable to find any workers in 1942, and worked as a Farm Labourer before enlisting in the RAAF. Following his Discharge, Ernest settled at Olympic Acres in Caramut, Victoria and in 1950 in Warnambool, married Mavis Jean Elliott (b1930 in Camperdown, Victoria). Ernest and Mavis lived at Olympic Acres in Caramut where they raised their family and Ernest was a Farmer before moving to Allendale, where he was an Auctioneer and Salesman. Ernest, who played the banjo, mandolin and violin, died in 1982. Mavis died in 2013.

Leading Aircraftman Ernest John Holdsworth (Service No:52509) initially served in the ACMF (Service No:V67648) as a Gunner and Driver with 15th Field Regiment from 18 April 1940 to 2 March 1942 - Gunner Holdsworth Discharged in order to return to the family farm in Hexham until his father was able to recruit workers. LAC Holdsworth then enlisted in the RAAF on 26 March 1942 at No 1 Recruiting Centre Melbourne as an Aircraftman I - mustered as Flight Rigger, remustered as Air Crew. Through 1942 Aircraftman Holdsworth - described as 'Excellent type. Bright, alert, with plenty of vim' (NAA) was attached to No 11 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Benalla; No 4 School of Technical Training (STT) Adelaide; No 1 Engineering School (ES) Ascot Vale and No 8 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) Bundaberg. Promoted to Leading Aircraftman in 1943, he was posted to No 2 Embarkation Depot (ED) Bradfield Park; No 1 Reserve Personnel Pool (RPP) Townsville; No 28 Operational Base Unit (OBU) Horne Island; No 1 Initial Training School (ITS) Somers. Through 1944/1945 LAC Holdsworth was posted to No 7 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) Tasmania and No 4 School of Technical Training (STT) Adelaide. LAC Holdsworth was attached to No 1 Operational Training Unit (OTU) Sale at Discharge on 3 August 1945.

Born in Terang, Victoria in 1919, Ernest was the second of five children of Ernest Holdsworth Snr (b1890 in Geelong, Victoria) and second wife Annie Hollaway (b1892 in Benalla, Victoria). Ernest Snr - a Widower with one child - was a Farmer at Mortlake in 1918 when he and Annie (a Dressmaker in Mortlake) married in Casterton. They settled in Hexham via Mortlake where they raised their family and Ernest Snr was a Farmer/Grazier.

Ernest worked in Hexham as Farm Labourer on the family farm before moving to Melbourne where he was a Salesman (Hardware) in 1940 when he enlisted in the ACMF.  Ernest Discharged to return to Hexham when his father was unable to find any workers in 1942, and worked as a Farm Labourer before enlisting in the RAAF. Following his Discharge, Ernest settled at Olympic Acres in Caramut, Victoria and in 1950 in Warnambool, married Mavis Jean Elliott (b1930 in Camperdown, Victoria). Ernest and Mavis lived at Olympic Acres in Caramut where they raised their family and Ernest was a Farmer before moving to Allendale, where he was an Auctioneer and Salesman. Ernest, who played the banjo, mandolin and violin, died in 1982. Mavis died in 2013.