HOLMES, William
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 March 1915, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Major General |
| Last Unit: | 4th Division Headquarters |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 12 September 1862 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Paddington Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Chief Executive of NSW Metropolitan Board of Water Supply , Soldier |
| Died: | Killed In Action, France, 2 July 1917, aged 54 years |
| Cemetery: |
Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord Pas de Calais |
| Memorials: | Brighton-Le-Sands Major General William Holmes Memorial, Sydney Major General William Holmes Memorial Plaque, Sydney Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board WW1 Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Officer, Sydney, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Colonel, 5th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 12 May 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Colonel, 5th Infantry Brigade Headquarters, HMAT Themistocles, Sydney | |
| 19 May 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, HMAT Themistocles | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Major General, 4th Division Headquarters |
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MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM HOLMES CMG DSO VD.
General Holmes had served in the South African War as a Captain and was awarded the DSO. At the Outbreak of WW1 he was appointed the first military administrator of German New Guinea, as well as commanding Australian forces in the area. He departed New Guinea on the 9th January 1915.
- Australian War Memorial 133441
He was later successively Commander 5th Brigade at Gallipoli and Commander 4th Division on the Western Front. Major General Holmes was killed soon after his greatest success, his division’s key part in victory at Messines, Belgium. This the AIF lost two Division Commanders killed on the Front Line (General Bridges at Gallipoli being the other)
Son: Captain Basil Holmes DSO, 17th Battalion AIF
Brother-in-law: Lieutenant Colonel Reginald John Travers SO & Bar, 4th Battalion AIF
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William Holmes was born on 12th September, 1862 in Sydney to William & Jane HOLMES
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal
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