Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Albert Holmes was born on 19 September 1887 at Milton, the son of John and Isabella (née Honeyman) Holmes. John Holmes’ first wife died in 1886, leaving five little children. John married Isabella Honeyman on 26 March 1887. Then tragedy struck. Yorkshire-born John Holmes died in the Dunedin Hospital on 14 October 1887 and was buried in the Northern Cemetery Dunedin (a resident of Milton). His family was already getting aid from the Benevolent Institution. Isabella Holmes married widower Henry Maddick Smallridge in 1892. By 1893, perhaps sooner, Isabella was living at Washdyke. Young Albert started his schooling at Washdyke in September 1893 – as Albert Smallridge. Leaving Washdyke School for Milton, he entered Waimataitai School in March 1895 (Bertie Smallridge) from the Milton Convent School. It was at St Joseph’s Catholic School, Milton in 1894 that Albert Smallridge received a prize for Kindergarten Work. After returning to Washdyke in April 1896, he turned up at Waimataitai in 1899 and left in January 1901.

A. Holmes was one whose enlistment was received at the Defence Office Timaru on 20 June 1916. Being compete, South Canterbury’s quota for the 18th Reinforcements (A. Holmes included) left for Trentham on 28 June 1916. The men paraded at the Drill Shed in Timaru at 12.30, where they were addressed by the Mayor and Rev. Dean Tubman. They then boarded the first express north, disembarking at Temuka, where, in recognition of the splendid efforts of the Temuka district in all patriotic works and in compliance with a request from that district, they were farewelled by the Temuka residents. After a public welcome and farewell at the Temuka Drill Shed at 3 p.m., the recruits marched to the station, followed by the public. The business people unanimously agreed to close their shops between 3 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. The contingent continued the journey north to Lyttelton by the second express.

On attesting on 29 June 1916 at Trentham, Albert named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs H. Smallridge, Gleniti, Timaru. He was single and of Church of England affiliation. Although he gave his address as Gleniti, Timaru, he was a motor driver for a Wallacetown company and had been residing at Waikiwi, Southland. He may well have been at Wallacetown from 1908. He was 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a dark complexion dark, brown eyes and dark brown hair. Posted to E company of the 18th Reinforcements on 28 June 1916, Private Holmes was transferred to Infantry Details three months later, then to the 26th Reinforcements in May 1917. In February 1917 at Featherston he was penalised 4 days pay (Royal Warrant) for breaking escort and absence without leave.

Rifleman A. Holmes embarked with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade of the 26th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington per the “Maunganui” on 12 June 1917 for Plymouth England. Admitted to hospital with influenza on 28 July 1917, he was discharged on 3 August, having spent seven days in hospital. Disembarking at Devonport on 16 August 1917, Rifleman Holmes marched into the Rifle Brigade the next day. But, on 17 September 1917 he was evacuated to the Military Hospital at Tidworth, suffering with gastritis. A couple of weeks later his progress was favourable and on 12 October he was transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Hornchurch. He was then transferred to Walton-on-Thames Hospital on 28 January 1918. Some ten days later he was reported as improving. The next transfer was on 2 March 1918 to the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley, then on 31 March back to Walton. He had been classified unfit – tuberculosis - by a Medical Board on 6 March. Mrs Smallridge, Otipua Road, received a letter from the High Commissioner in April, advising that her son, Rifleman A. Holmes, who had contracted a severe illness, was doing well in the New Zealand Hospital at Oatlands Park, Walton-on-Thames. Albert Holmes did not get beyond England and possibly spent more time in hospital than out.

On account of phthisis, he returned to New Zealand per the Hospital Ship “Marama”, embarking at Avonmouth on 6 April 1918 and arriving on 18 May 1918. It is apparent that Albert Holmes went to the Pleasant Valley Sanitorium near Palmerston. On pleading guilty to absence without leave at Palmerston in May 1918, Holmes was ordered to forfeit six days pay (Royal Warrant). In June 1918 at Palmerston, he was penalised 1 day’s pay (Royal Warrant) for absence without leave. He was reprimanded for conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline by having liquor in the Sanitorium. 28879 Rifleman A. Holmes, 246 Otipua Road, Timaru, was granted privilege leave from 26 October 1918 to 15 November 1918. He was discharged on 15 November 1918, no longer physically fit for war service (tuberculi of lung), and was awarded the British War Medal. His intended address on discharge was initially 246 Otipua Road, Timaru, the address to which Isabella and Henry had moved during the war. It was later amended to 461 Wilson’s Road, Linwood, Christchurch, then by 1921 to C/o Govt. Receiving Home, Ferry Road, Christchurch.

Albert John Holmes married Mabel Annie Stephens in 1920. Albert and Mabel lived in Christchurch. Their only child, Rex Albert Holmes, was born on 2 November 1921 at Nurse Gregg’s “Rua Rua”, Christchurch. Rex attended Somerfield School where he met with success especially in essay competitions of an Anzac and peace nature. In September 1934 he was placed third equal in the essay competition conducted by the Christchurch branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association. In December of the same year, he was placed second equal for Somerfield School (Standard VI) in the annual essay competition run by the Navy League and the Victoria League. Later in the month he was commended in the Ensom peace essay competition conducted by the New Zealand No More War Movement. And in 1934 he was the Form II boys’ dux of his school. Rex Albert Holmes was successful in the Public Service Entrance examinations in January 1938, and Rex A. Holmes was successful in the Wellington Technical College Evening School classes in December 1938. But sadly, Rex Albert Holmes died suddenly on 25 November 1938 at Wellington Hospital, just 17 years old.

Albert Holmes died suddenly on 8 March 1955 at Christchurch, aged 67 years, and was buried at Bromley Cemetery with his son Rex. He was survived by his wife Mabel Annie who died just 3½ months later and was buried with Albert and Rex. A clause in Mabel’s Will, which she had signed on 1 June 1955, reads “I declare that it is my wish that I shall be buried in the same plot as my late husband Albert Holmes and that Lamb & Hayward Ltd. be engaged to conduct my funeral and I direct my trustee to have an inscription in my memory cut on the existing tombstone over my said husband’s grave.” Whether the existing tombstone, which clearly records the names of Rex, Albert and Mabel Annie, is the original is not certain. Albert’s mother, Isabella Smallridge, died on 28 August 1921 and was buried in a Smallridge plot at Timaru.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [08 September 2014]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ ref. AABK 18805 W5541 0056034) [25 September 2015]; Evening Star, 17 October 1887, Otago Daily Times, 20 October 1887, Bruce Herald, 21 December 1894, Timaru Herald, 21 & 27 June 1916, 26 September 1917, 7 February 1918, 20 April 1918, 7 May 1918, Sun, 4 May 1918, Star, 4 November 1921, Press, 20 December 1933, 25 September 1934, 8, 14 & 19 December 1934, 25 January 1938, 28 November 1938, 9 March 1955, 25 June 1955, Evening Post, 15 December 1938 (Papers Past) [11 November 2013; 08 September 2014; 20 October 2015; 16 July 2016; 01 September 2021; 06 April 2022; 10 July 2022; 30 September 2022; 12 & 13 August 2024]; School Admission records (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [10 August 2014]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [25 September 2015; 13 August 2024]; Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, burial record (Christchurch City Council) [16 July 2016]; Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, headstone transcription (South Canterbury Branch NZSG records) [30 November 2016]; Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, headstone image(Find A Grave) [12 August 2024]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

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