Early Life

Edwin was born on the 4th October 1889, the only child of Edwin and Sarah (née Dilley) Holmes, in Ilford, Essex. The 1891 census has them living at 3, Station Road, Ilford. Edwin senior (28) was a builder and decorator. Sarah (30), like most mothers at this time was not employed.  Both Edwin and Sarah had been born in the London area. Their son Edwin was aged 2. For a builder and decorator this was an excellent time to be living in Ilford. By 1891 the population of Ilford had risen to 10,913 and during the next twenty years it grew rapidly rising to 78,188 by 1911, with a huge amount of new housing stock being built.

By 1901 the family had moved to 20 Eustace Road, Dagenham. Edwin senior was now described as an employer and a builder. Edwin was educated at the Board School in Chadwell Heath.  Ten years later they were still living at 20, Eustace Road, but Edwin, now 22 years of age was employed as a schoolteacher for the Ilford Education Committee.

The Student Record Book tells us that Edwin was working as an assistant teacher at Goodmayes Boys’ School, Ilford. Edwin took his Preliminary Examination for entry to College in April 1907, gaining a distinction in Mathematics. He had also passed examinations in drawing, and gained a second class pass in the Archbishops’ Preliminary Examination. His mark in his entrance exam was recorded as 68.5%.

Ilford Town Hall built in 1901

From Schoolmaster to Soldier

In November 1914 Edwin enlisted in London, in the 6th Battalion the Essex (TF) Regiment.  Records have not yet been found to discover whether Edwin served abroad with the 1/6th or 2/6th  Essex Regiment or whether he was in the 3/6th who remained in this country. In February 1916 Edwin transferred to the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) 11th Battalion. Later that year in April 1916, Edwin married Florence Ellen Grose in Anerley, Surrey. Florence was also a teacher.

The Royal Fusiliers raised 47 battalions for service in the Great War. The 11th (Service) Battalion was formed at Hounslow in September 1914 and came under the command of 54th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division. They landed in France in July 1915.

Between January and March 1917 the Regiment was involved in operations on the Ancre. This was the final clearing up stage of operations following the Somme offensive of 1916. British troops were seeking to gain a tactical advantage by occupying the high ground above the River Ancre. Sir Douglas Haig’s third Despatch describes the day that Edwin was killed in action.

When this operation was planned, the ground was frozen and it was not going to be possible to dig assembly trenches, so the decision was made to assemble the troops in the open prior to the attack. The artillery had begun a destructive wire-cutting bombardment on 14th February, although fog and mist made aiming and observation of the results difficult. On the day of the attack a creeping barrage was begun but this had not been planned to take into account the change in the weather conditions. What had previously been easy to cross, frozen ground, was now hard to traverse, deep mud. A further factor in the difficulties faced by the troops that day was that German intelligence had apparently been alerted to the plan of attack by a captured document and a deserter. They knew where the British troops had been assembled and bombarded those positions causing many casualties.

When 54th Brigade advanced they found that the wire in their area had not been cut, delaying their advance and allowing them to fall even further behind the creeping barrage. While they were looking for gaps in the wire the Germans were able to open fire on the British infantry.

Edwin Holmes was killed that day in action near to Grandecourt.  His Captain wrote:

His probate record shows that he left £398 10s 4d. It appears on first glance that he left the money to his father rather than to his wife, but a closer look shows that his father was named as his executor and therefore it is possible that Florence, his wife was ultimately the beneficiary.

Edwin’s body was either never found or not identified. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 16A.

The Royal Fusiliers’ War Memorial stands on High Holborn, near Chancery Lane tube station. Their Regimental Chapel is at St. Sepulchre-without-Newgate.

 

Researcher and Author: Dee Sayers