Our People - Robert Holmes

25 January 1915
#9983 Guardsman Robert Holmes
1st Battalion, Scots Guards
​1st (Guards) Brigade, 1st Division
Killed in action 25 January 1915 age 19
Canadian Cemetery No.2, Neuville-St.Vaast, Pas de Calais, France.
Son of John and Jane Holmes, of "Hambledene", Windsor Ave., Leyland, Lancashire.
INSCRIPTION: "THE COUNTRY CALLED HE ANSWERED"
Robert Holmes was born 9 September 1895 to John and Jane Holmes and baptised the following month 13 October 1895 at St.Andrews, Leyland. His father was a fruiterer on Towngate at 5 Garden Terrace (now 105 Towngate).  He enlisted at age 19 in Preston at the outbreak of the war and went out to France 4 January 1915.  He was a member of Leyland Congregational Church (now Leyland United Reformed Church).

Robert joined up 2 September 1914 and arrived in France 5 January 1915.  He was one of three local men who were killed in action at the same time., dying alongside Guardsmen Harold Southworth and William Collinge who were occupying the same stretch of trench.

According to local newspaper reports, they were blown up by a mine on 25 January 1915.  However, it appears that these reports may be incorrect and they were most probably killed by gun shot wounds.  See below for the War Diary excerpt.  Robert's nephew, David Sumner has in his possession, a letter from one George Charnley dated 1 June 1915 written from a German POW camp Merseburg which in part says - "Harold Southworth was shot through the head (as he was next to him) also two more Leyland boys in R Holmes and W Collinge”.  Robert was 19 years of age.

On that day the British Expeditionary Force fought what became known as ‘The First Action at Givenchy’ – Givenchy is 3.5 km west of La Bassée. The War diary of the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, records the following:
​At 6.30am a German deserter reported that an attack was going to be made in half an hour, bombardment first, and then our trenches were to be blown in by previously laid mines.  After an hour all happened as deserter had said. 5 Right Flank and 40 Left Flank got away - their story is as follows - The Germans first shelled them, then got out of their trench, and attacked half right, then they threw bombs in, got to the tip of the parapet and shot down into the trenches.  The Germans afterwards swarmed up to the ‘Keep’, where Major Romilly was.  There they were checked and held. Reinforcements came up and a counter attack was delivered at 1pm but did not retake much ground. Battalion was relieved at 4pm by Sussex Regiment.
Robert's death was reported in the local newspapers.
Pte Robert Holmes, son of Mr Holmes, Fruiterer, Towngate, Leyland was reported missing in January: nothing more has been heard. He was 19 years of age and enlisted in September in the Scots Guards going to the Front in January. CHORLEY GUARDIAN AND LEYLAND HUNDRED ADVERTISER, Saturday 10 July, 1915.

In the account of the death of the three Leyland guardsmen on 25th January 1915, information is given on Robert Holmes, but nothing different to that already known from the ‘Guardian’ report below. CHORLEY WEEKLY NEWS, 22 January, 1916.

A Memorial Service was held at Leyland Congregational Church on Sunday last for Pte Robert Holmes, Scots Guards; Mr Rew officiated. At the close of the service the organist, Mr Rose, played the ‘Dead March’. PRESTON GUARDIAN, Saurday 5 February, 1916.

Mr and Mrs J. Holmes of Garden Terrace, Leyland have received information of the death of their eldest son, Pte Robert Holmes, aged 20 years, of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards. Pte Holmes enlisted at the outbreak of the war, and went out to France on Jan. 4th, 1915 and was killed on January the 25th. He was a member of the Congregational Church. Not very long after going to the front he was reported missing. It is believed that Holmes, along with two other Leyland men, Privates H Southworth and W. Collinge, occupying the same trench, were blown up by a mine. CHORLEY GUARDIAN AND LEYLAND HUNDRED ADVERTISER, Saturday 19 February, 1916.
A memorial service was held at Leyland Congregational Church on Sunday 30 January 1916.  The register of soldiers' effects shows that Robert left £3 6s. 4d. and a War Gratuity of £3. 0s. 0d. to his father John.

Robert and William are buried side by side at Canadian Cemetery No.2, Neuville-St.Vaast, Pas de Calais – Robert in plot 12. F. 2. and William in plot 12. F. 3. Harold is remembered on Le Touret Memorial, Pas de Calais, France on panels 3 and 4.  Locally, Robert appears on the civic war memorial on Church road, the United Reformed Church memorial lamp on Hough lane and also on the gravestone over the family plot in St.Andrews churchyard.  He appears on the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle.  Note that Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives his age as 20, he was actually 19 when he died. Robert appears on the Leyland - Church Road Civic Memorial and the Leyland - United Reformed Church Lamp.
CWGC Robert Holmes
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Guardsman Robert Holmes. This image has been altered to show his posthumously awarded1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal ribbons. Image courtesy of David Sumner
The gravestone memorial to Robert in St.Andrew's Churchyard in Leyland.  Note that the inscription says he died in 1916.  All official records say he died in 1915
Robert's grave alongside that of his comrade William Collinge at Canadian Cemetery No.2, Neuville-St.Vaast
Preston & Central Lancashire WFA
© Preston & Central Lancashire Western Front Association 2020
The WFA was formed in 1980 to maintain interest in the First World War (1914-1918). We work to perpetuate the memory, courage and comradeship of all, from all sides, on all Fronts: on land, at sea, in the air and on the Home Front. The WFA is non-political and does not seek to glorify war.