Name
William Matthew Holliday
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/10/1916
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5151
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
3 Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LONSDALE CEMETERY, AUTHUILLE
VII. F. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE HAS OUTSOAR'D THE SHADOW OF OUR NIGHT
UK & Other Memorials
4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Tewin Village Memorial, St Peter’s Church Muster Roll, Tewin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Welwyn Memorial
Pre War
William Matthew Holliday was born in 1897 in Sand Hutton, Yorkshire, the son of Henry and Elizabeth Holliday.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Weardley, Yorks where his father was a butler (looks like (in the census) The Stawk, probably related to Harewood House which is close by). Present were both parents: Henry (40) and Elizabeth (35), with Henry (senior) working as a butler. Their children were: Henry George (6), Lydia Mary Elizabeth (5), William Matthew (4) and Mildred Alice (2).
By 1911 the family had moved to Tewin Water, Welwyn, Herts. where Henry was the butler for the Beit family who lived at Tewin Water House at the time. The census recorded they had been married for 17 years with 7 children, of whom 1 had died. Both parents were present and all the children who were listed above except Henry (junior). They had been joined by new siblings: Robert John (9) and Ernest Leslie (1). William was a 14 year old schoolboy.
Officially he was recorded as living in Welwyn, Herts. and enlisting in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Although his home was at Tewin, nr. Welwyn, he enlisted in Hertford and served with the Hertfordshire Regiment. At some time he served with number 4 Company, but at the time of his death he was in 3 Company.
On 14 October 1916 The Hertfordshires were part of the 118th Brigade of the 39th Division in II Corps and were involved in an attack on the Schwaben Redoubt, immediately north of Thiepval, (the Battle of Ancre Heights) with the Hertfordshires either in support or reserve. He was killed in action during that attack which continued into 15 October. He was initially buried near where he fell, but at the end of the war his body was found and identified by the cross on that grave.
Capt. Frank Pawle wrote “Your son was one of a number of men told off to carry ammunition to the firing line and it was during the execution of this duty that a shell landed in the midst of the party. Your son was killed outright. We shall all miss him, and the regiment can ill afford to lose such brave men as your son on many occasions proved himself to be. I wish I could offer you some consolation, but I can only say he is one of the many fine examples of Hertfordshire men who have given up their lives for the king and country.”
Also from letters written by Sergt. Major Clark and Sergt. H. Orchard it appears the shell which exploded in the midst of the fatigue party killed 3 and wounded about half a dozen. Sergt. Orchard says of the deceased: “He was a good lad and always do doing his bit and will be much missed by all in our platoon”. A comforting message was always received from the Rev. A. E. Fordham army chairman who buried William.
His body was exhumed after the war and reburied at Lonsdale Cemetery, Authille, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £5 10s and pay owing of £6 8s 11d. Pension cards exist in relation to William and his brother Henry, but give no indication of the amount of pension received.
His mother, Mrs E Holliday, Tewin, Welwyn, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription: “HE HAS OUTSOAR'D THE SHADOW OF OUR NIGHT",
Brother to Henry George Holliday who was killed in action on 11 April 1917 and is also named on the Tewin memorial.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
