39331 Pte. Thomas Holland

39331 Private Thomas Holland born in 1886 in Scholar Green. Thomas was one of 6 children to Joshua & Eliza Holland, Station Road, Scholar Green, his occupation was a farm labourer, height 5 feet 6 ¼ inches, weight 141 lbs, he was unmarried.

Thomas enlisted on 22/03/1916 in Congleton; he did his basic training at Kinmel Camp, North Wales. Part of his Military Service Record is as follows:

Home (Home means in Britain) 22/03/1916 – 23/07/1916. On the 21^st May 1916 Thomas was put on a charge for “absent off pass from 11:30 until reported himself at 5pm (17 ½ hours)” punishment 2 days C.B (Confined to Barracks).

He embarked from Southampton on 23^rd July 1916, disembarked in France on 24^th July 1916; he joined the 19^th Battalion RWF (Royal Welsh Fusiliers) on 25^th July 1917 in Rouen, from Rouen he was in the field (fighting). On the 30^th July 1916 he joined the 10th Battalion RWF in the field. He was killed on the 16^th August 1916 his body was never found. Mrs Eliza Holland received her son’s medals on the 25/12/1921.