Name
Walter Thomas Holland
6 July 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/03/1915
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Serjeant
364
Rifle Brigade
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 44.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Little Gaddesden Village Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Little Gaddesden, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour (2018 Revision), Little Gaddesden, We are not aware of any memorial in Ringshall
Pre War
Walter Thomas Holland was born on 6 July 1884 in Ringshall, Herts, the son of William and Elizabeth Holland, and one of six children. They had moved to Ivinghoe, Bucks on the 1891 Census where his father was working as a Garden Labourer, but moved back to Ringshall by the 1901 Census when they were living at 24 Ringshall.
He was educated at nearby Little Gaddesden School. When the Little Gaddesden Brass Band was formed in 1902, Walter was one of the band members who signed up, paying 3d per week towards the cost of tuition.
He emigrated to Canada and lived in Readlyn, Saskatchewan. He married Ada and they had two children, Thomas and Violet.
His parents remained in Little Gaddesden and lived next door to their son Jesse and his family on the 1911 Census.
Wartime Service
He joined the Rifle Brigade in 1904 and was in the Reserve when he emigrated to Canada sometime before 1911. He returned to England for War Service, probably with other British Army Reservists who arrived at the Port of London on 8 September 1914 on board the SS Ruthenia from Quebec and enlisted in Hemel Hempstead.
He was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle on 14th March 1915, He has no known grave and is
commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Additional Information
Joint Executors, Albert Holland and Ernest Davy received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £7 13s 4d. His widow received a pension of 18 shillings 6 pence a week for herself and her two children.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, dacorumheritage.org.uk, hemelatwar.org., littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk
