Fred Holmes

Fred was born in 1900 in Heanor and was the son of John W a coal miner and his wife Agnes , they had a very large family of 11 children, his siblings were George, Lizzie , Annie, Wolston,Ruth, Harry , Archie, Sarah, Theresa and Maurice . In the 1901 census -the family are living at 153 Ray Street Heanor Derbyshire and are shown as : - John W Holmes, 52 head, Agnes, wife, 30; George, son, 11; Lizzie, daur, 9; Annie, daur, 7; Wolsten, son, 4; Fred, son, 1; By the 1911 census - they have moved to 342 Vernon Road Basford Nottingham and are shown as:- Agnes, married, 40; Lizzie, daur, 18; Annie, daur, 16; Wolsten, 14; Fred, son, 11, scholar born Heanor Derby's; Ruth, daur, 9; Harry, son,7; Archie, son, 4; Sarah, daur, 3; Theresa, daur, 2; Maurice, son, 1; His service details show - Holmes, Fred, 1st Bn N&D, Pte 107531. death officially accepted as 17/6/1918. On the 21/11/1919 - following was paid to his mother Agnes £10-5s-7d (including War Gratuity of £5)

Basford Nottingham

107531 Private Fred Holmes enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) in March 1917. After training he was posted to France and the 1st battalion. It is likely that Fred was captured during the German attack on Chemin des Dames, 27th to 31st May 1918, in which the battalion, already weak, was decimated. By the time the battalion was taken out of the front line to occupy the second line at the end of 31st May, 680 losses had been sustained and of these 442 were missing. The 1st battalion had ceased to exist as a fighting unit and could muster little more than a company of men. Fred was buried in the Rethel C.C. German cemetery which was situated on the North East side of the town. After the Armistice he was re-interred in the Rethel French National Cemetery, Grave 1864.

Soldiers Died in the Great War - Holmes Fred, born Nottingham, enlisted Nottingham, 107531, Private, died, France and Flanders, 17/6/18;