HOLDER, Sydney Ernest
| Service Number: | S36298 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 September 1916, Discharged 30 September 1919 |
| Last Rank: | Major |
| Last Unit: | Medical Officers |
| Born: | Burra, South Australia, 22 February 1890 |
| Home Town: | College Park, Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Sturt Street State School, Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Medical Practitioner |
| Died: | Daw Park, South Australia, 9 February 1953, aged 62 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia General B Path O, Grave 9 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Sturt Street Public School Great War Roll of Honour, Kent Town Wesleyan Methodist Church WW1 Honour Roll, Norwood Primary School Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Sep 1916: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Captain, Australian Medical Team, Discharged 30 September 1919 | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 1917: | Involvement Captain, Medical Officers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Bulla embarkation_ship_number: A45 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Jan 1917: | Embarked Captain, Medical Officers, HMAT Bulla, Adelaide |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Major, S36298 | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 1946: | Discharged | |
| Date unknown: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Major, S36298 |
Biography
Published Biography
Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1, C Verco, A Summers, T Swain & M Jelly. July 2014
Additional Biography
Education
Sydney Ernest Holder attended Prince Alfred College (PAC) and in 1907 was awarded an Entrance Scholarship to study medicine at Adelaide University. While at PAC he was a member of the 1907 1st XVIII Football team and a member of the Intercollegiate team that year.
University
Sydney commenced studying Medicine at Adelaide University in 1908 and graduated MBBS in 1913.
University Sport
Football – Sydney had played football while a student at Prince Alfred College, but the year he started his course there was not a University team playing in any official competition. However, Sydney was one of the two reserves for the Adelaide University 1908 Intervarsity Football match played at Adelaide Oval against Melbourne University. His elder brother Evan Morecott Holder was in the eighteen. There also was no football team the following year so Sydney took up Lacrosse in 1909.
Lacrosse – Sydney played Lacrosse for the University commending in the C grade in 1909 and progressing to the A grade in 1911 and playing “centre”. He represented Adelaide University at Intervarsity matches in 1911, 1912 & 1913 and was awarded his Blue for Lacrosse in 1912.
Tennis – Sydney played tennis for Adelaide University from 1908 to at least January 1915, he also played in the Intervarsity completions in 1912, 1913 and 1914. He gained a Blue for tennis in 1913 making him a Double Blue.
Early Career
After graduation Sydney was appointed as a House Surgeon at the Adelaide Hospital from 1 February 1914 for a year. On the completion of his residency he moved to Kadina, SA, in February 1915 replacing Dr Charles F Drew in practice with Dr C.E.C. Wilson. To the relief of the Kadina Tennis Club, Sydney also replaced Dr Drew in the tennis team.
World War I
Sydney became a Captain in the AAMC Reserve in October 1915. He enlisted in July 1916 and married in September of that year. In January 1917 he departed for the front. His wife, Dorothy gave birth to their first child (a daughter, Alison Joyce) on the 20th July 1917. In August 1917 it was reported in the South Australian papers that Sydney had been Mentioned in Dispatches. Sydney did not return to Australia until July 1919.
Between the Wars
Sydney returned to his practice in the Kadina after the war. His only son, Sydney John, was born in 1920 followed daughters, Sheila Margaret in 1922 and Charlotte Ruth in 1928.
Sydney was heavily involved in the local community, in addition to golf, tennis, bowls and cricket (mentioned above), Sydney also played Bridge, he was Patron of the YP Football Association and donor of the “Holder Medal” for many years, Patron of the Wallaroo Swimming Club, Patron of the Newton Cricket Club, Patron of the Kadina Indoor Bowls Association and Patron of the Kadina Town Band. Sydney was active in the Kadina RSL and the Methodist Church, Hon Surgeon of the YP Trotting Association and Chairman of the Kadina High School Council. One of the houses at Kadina high School was named Holder House.
World War II
Sydney enlisted on 3 September 1939 and was appointed at the rank of Major in August 1942. His World War II service was all within Australia, mainly in South Australia and the Northern Territory. He was discharged on 16th July 1946.
The WWII period was a tragic time for Sydney and his family. In October 1942, his wife Dorothy died after a short illness. Sydney was serving in the north at that time. Then in December 1944 his only son, Sydney John Holder, was killed in a flying accident in the UK while a member of the RAAF.
Post WWII
After WWII Sydney moved to Millswood and took up a position as Medical Officer for the Repatriation Department.
Death
Sydney died on the 10th of February 1953, aged 63 leaving daughters, Charlotte and Alison. He is buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide.
Author EE (Beth) Filmer
For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project please see the document attached.
Submitted 12 June 2025 by Eleanor Filmer
Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
Excerpt from Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1. Courtesy of the Authors
Sydney Ernest Holder was born on the 22nd February 1890 at Kooringa near Burra, SA. He was the sixth child and third son of Sir Frederick William Holder and his wife Julia Maria nee Stephens. Sir Frederick was twice Premier of South Australia and the first Speaker of the House of Representatives. They lived at 50 Sydenham Rd, Norwood. Holder was educated at Prince Alfred College. He won a South Australian Scholarship to study medicine at the University of Adelaide in 1907 and was awarded Blues for tennis and lacrosse. He was also a devout member of the Methodist Church. After his graduation in 1913 Holder completed his residency at Adelaide Hospital.
Holder enlisted in the AIF on the 7th July 1916. He was commissioned as a captain in the AAMC on the 13th September 1916. He married Dorothy Lillian Godlee at Kent Town Methodist Church, on the 28th September 1916. His wife of 38 Marlborough St, College Park, was named as his next of kin. He was 5ft 10ins, weighed 12st 8lbs, and could ride a horse. After 3 months of Camp Duty in 4MD, he embarked for the Middle East in January 1917. After spending two months with 1 LH Training Regiment, he was posted to 3 LHFA at Marakeb in April 1917. He was transferred to 12 LHR at Belah in January 1918 and served with this unit until the end of the war. He contracted malaria and was evacuated to the 14th AGH. He returned to Australia in July 1919 with his appointment terminated at the 4MD on the 30th September 1919. He was issued with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Holder practised with Dr F L Thyer (SA Rhodes Scholar 1924) in Kadina, South Australia for about 25 years after the war. He became a town councillor, Medical Health Officer for the Kadina Corporation, and HMO for the Wallaroo Hospital. He was a prominent Prince Alfred College Old Collegian. He loved golf, tennis bowls and cricket. He was a member of the Repatriation Commission. Holder, in WW2, served as a major at 54 Camp Hospital, Loveday, South Australia and at 10 CCS in the Northern Territory. Sydney Ernest Holder died on Monday the 9th February 1953 at the Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park aged 62 years and was survived by his 3 daughters. His son, Sydney John Holder, served in WW2 as a Flying Officer in the RAAF. He was killed in a flying accident in England in December 1944 while on secondment to 271 Sqn RAF. He is buried at Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Holder had two brothers who also served in WW1 Lieutenant Evan Morecott Holder and Lieutenant Clement Gladstone Holder.
Sources:
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=5844023
Likeman R., “From the Jungle to the Desert”, Slouch Hat Publications, 2012.
Photo, PAC Collection. NLA Trove.
Biography contributed by Annette Summers
Addition information re WW2 service from
Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2.
Holder volunteered to serve in WW2, on 30th April 1942 and was promoted major, on 17th May 1942. He was initially posted to 54 Camp Hospital in Loveday, South Australia. then subsequently posted to 110 CCS and embarked for Milne Bay, PNG on 12th March 1942. While Holder was in PNG, his wife, Dorothy, died, in Adelaide, on 6th October 1942. He was returned to Australia, on 27th December 1942, where he was allotted to 52 Camp Hospital. He was medically downgraded and sent to the AAMC 4MD and then transferred to 64 Camp Hospital, in January 1944. Allotted as Rehabilitation Medical Officer in the SA LoC area on 5th October 1945, Holder was discharged on 16th July 1946, and placed on the Retired List.
Source
Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2.
Swain, Jelly, Verco, Summers. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2019.
Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD
Biography
Born 22 February 1890 at Burra, SA
Son of Frederick William & Julia Maria HOLDER nee STEPHENS
Wife: Dorothy Lillian HOLDER nee GODLEE
Of 38 Marlborough St, College Park
Occupation prior to enlisting: Medical Practitioner
Enlisted: 7 September 1916
Embarkation: 16 January 1917
Age: 26 years
Served in the Middle East
Returned to Australia: 23 August 1919 per ‘Morvada’
Appointment Terminated: 30 September 1919
Died 09 February 1953 at Daw Park Repatriation Hospital
Aged 62 years
Survived by 3 daughters - his son was killed in a flying accident in England in the RAF in WWII
Death Of Dr. S. E. Holder
Dr. Sydney Ernest Holder, of Millswood, who died at the Repatriation General Hospital, Springbank, on Monday, aged 62, was a son of the late Sir Frederick Holder, twice Premier of SA and the first Speaker or the House of Representatives.
Dr. Holder was born at Burra and educated at Prince Alfred College.
On his return from World War I., in which he served with the Light Horse in Egypt, Dr. Holder practised at Kadina for about 25 years.
Chronicle Thursday 12 February 1953 page 2
Click images to start slideshow.