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Estourmel when it was held up by machine-gun fire. While under heavy fire, Holmes retrieved two wounded men. While assisting a third wounded soldier he himself was wounded. He remained in the frontlines until he was shot in the throat and died of his wounds. Cattenières was captured the following
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For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty at
Cattenieres on the 9th October, 1918. Pte. Holmes carried in two men under the most intense fire, and, while he was attending to a third case, he was severely wounded. In spite of this, he continued to carry wounded, and was shortly afterwards
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day. For his actions of 9 October, Holmes was awarded the
Victoria Cross (VC). The VC, instituted in 1856, was the highest award for valour that could be bestowed on a soldier of the
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On 9 October 2018, the centenary of Holmes' death, the Lord-Lieutenant of
Gloucester, Dame Janet Trotter, unveiled a VC Stone to honour Holmes at St George's Church, in
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again wounded, with fatal results. By his self-sacrifice and disregard of danger he was the means of saving the lives of several of his comrades.
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Holmes is buried at
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On 9 October 1918, Holmes' battalion was advancing towards the villages of
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presented Holmes' VC to his parents on 29 March 1919, in a ceremony at
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awarded the VC for his actions on 9 October 1918, during the
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690:. Men-at-Arms Series. Vol. 78. Osprey Publishing.
562:(Supplement). 24 December 1918. pp. 15118–15119.
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British World War I recipients of the
Victoria Cross
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Holmes returned to his unit in 1915. As part of the
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638:. Tewesbury Borough Council. 5 October 2018
352:(BEF) sent to France. He saw action in the
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574:"Casualty Details: Holmes, William Edgar"
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254:(26 June 1895 − 9 October 1918) was a
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332:and was posted to its 2nd Battalion.
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797:People from Stanway, Gloucestershire
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16:Recipient of the Victoria Cross
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707:The Final Days 1918
668:. Headline Review.
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559:The London Gazette
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772:Burials in France
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715:The History Press
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41:26 June 1895
762:1918 deaths
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554:"No. 31082"
517:Fraser 1998
471:in London.
392:Cattenières
356:and at the
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278:during the
67:Cattenières
751:Categories
482:References
459:, and the
294:Early life
87:Allegiance
686:(1998) .
664:(2007) .
453:1914 Star
373:the Somme
282:, he was
128:1913–1918
476:Didbrook
445:George V
407:—
105:Service/
425:Cambrai
377:Cambrai
324:of the
268:British
260:English
246:Private
224:†
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608:15 May
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443:King
379:, and
234:Awards
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71:France
381:Arras
302:, in
148:16796
719:ISBN
692:ISBN
670:ISBN
644:2019
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270:and
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133:Rank
54:Died
38:Born
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191:WIA
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