Pte 17361 William Francis Holden

His father was born in about 1847, and is found on the 1881 Census living at 67 Upper Frederick Street, Liverpool, as a 34-year old sailor with his wife Annie, 28, and daughter Maggie, 7.

By the next census his mother is a widow. As there is no civil death registration for his father, it is possible he died at sea. A William Holden, age 40, born in Dublin, residence Liverpool, the Bosun on the S.S. Editor, died from pleurisy on board on 20th April 1886. William was not yet two years old.

By the time of the 1891 Census Ann was 38 and a widow and living in court housing at Forrest Street, Liverpool. Living with her are her daughter Margaret aged 17 who is working in a bread shop, and her son William aged 7. Also living with her is her brother Mike Brown who is a dock labourer. 

 

The family are still living in Forrest Street at the 1901 Census. His mother, Ann, is aged 45, and is working as a charwoman, Margaret aged 27 is a bottler, William aged 16 is a machine assistant. Ann’s widowed sister Mary McMahon, 38 is living with them as are her two daughters aged 11 and 12. 

His mother, Ann, died aged 45, and was buried on the 29th June 1902 in Ford Cemetery, Liverpool. 

His only survivng sibling Margaret married in 1906 but sadly died in 1908 at the age of 34.

 

The 1911 Census finds William living with his aunt Mary McMahon and her two daughters at 24 York Street. William was 26 and working as an ironmongers assistant. He completed the census return and signed William Francis.

William enlisted at St George's Hall, Liverpool on the 02nd September 1914, joining the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 17361. He gave his age as 29 years and 78 days and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet five and a half inches tall, weighed 129lbs, 36" chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Roman Catholic. He gave his next of kin as Mrs Mary McMahon, 24 York Street. 

Formed on the 07th September 1914 the 19th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain.

07.8.15: At Belton Park, Grantham: Absenting himself from R.C. church parade 9.30am. Admonished.  

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion. 

21.02.16: Sick to 98th Field Ambulance and admitted with Influenza.

23.02.16: Admitted to 5 Casualty Clearing Station.

25.02.16: Admitted to 1 General Hospital at Etaples with bronchitis. 

03.3.16: Transferred to Le Havre.

08.3.16: Discharged to Base Depot, Etaples.

27.3.16: Proceeded to join unit. 

28.3.16: Rejoined unit from 30 Infantry Base Depot. 

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 32, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

19^th Battalion Diary 

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 other ranks" 

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.     

William was originally declared Missing and his name appeared in the list of K.L.R. casualties published on 30th September 1916 as previously reported Wounded, now Wounded and Missing. His death was later presumed for official purposes as having occurred on or since 30th July 1916.

William was buried close to where he fell and after the war, when graves were concentrated, his body was removed and reinterred in Guillemont Road Cemetery where he now rests. 

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries, including:-

HARDECOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY. The village of Hardecourt-au-Bois was captured by French troops on the 8th July 1916, and again by the 58th (London) and 12th (Eastern) Divisions on 28 August 1918. Five British Artillerymen were buried by their unit in the French Military Cemetery, in the middle of the village, in September 1916; and in 1918 the 12th Division buried in the same cemetery 14 men of the 9th Royal Fusiliers and two of the 7th Royal Sussex.

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His headstone bears the epitaph:

ON WHOSE SOUL SWEET JESUS HAVE MERCY R.I.P.

He earned his three medals.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10s were shared between his uncle John Brown and aunts Mary McMahon (nee Brown) and Johanna Barney (nee Brown). (confirmed by marriage). 

His personal effects (one letter) were sent as joint property to his relatives Johanna Barney and John Brown in March 1918. 

 

William was remembered on the second anniversary of his death in 1918:

"In loving memory of Private William Francis Holden, killed in action, July 30, 1916, K.L.R. (Pals). - Sadly missed by Aunt and Cousins, 24 York Street."

In 1919 his aunt Mary McMahon provided information on William's living relatives: His closest relations were his full-blood aunts Mary McMahon and Johanna Barney, and half-blood uncle John Brown. 

William is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 58 as 3rd Battalion which is actually the 19th Battalion which was the third City Battalion. 

We currently have no further information on William Francis Holden, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.