Biography of Private Graham Holmes (204226)
8th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
Formerly 2nd/5th and 1st/4th Linconshire Regiment
Died 8th August 1919

Soldier

  • Name: Graham Holmes
  • Date of birth: 1887
  • Place of Birth: Toft, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: July – September 1887
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: James Holmes
  • DOB: 1856
  • Place of Birth: Witham on the Hill, Lincolnshire, England
  • Occupation: Timber faller (woodcutter)

Mother

  • Name: Rachel King
  • DOB: 29th July 1859
  • Place Of Birth: Barrowden, Rutland, England
  • Marriage: 24th May 1881 Witham on the Hill, Lincolnshire, England

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • Louisa Holmes, 1882, Witham on the Hill
  • Beatrice Holmes, 1883, Toft (died 1892)
  • Mary Holmes, 1885, Toft
  • Graham Holmes, 1887, Toft
  • Sarah Holmes, 1889, Toft
  • Gertrude Holmes, 1891, Witham on the Hill
  • William Holmes, 1893, Witham on the Hill
  • Elsie Holmes, 1895, Witham on the Hill
  • Clara Holmes, 1897, Witham on the Hill
  • John Holmes, 1900, Witham on the Hill
  • Grace Holmes, 1902, Witham on the Hill

Census

  • 1891: Graham is living with his parents in Witham on the Hill, Lincolnshire.
  • 1901: Graham is living with his mother in Witham on the Hill. Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 13 and he is listed as an agricultural labourer.
  • 1911: Graham is living with his parents in Toft, Lincolnshire. The census gives him an age of 23 and he is listed as an under woodman (forester).

Relatives in services

  • Graham’s cousin Joseph Morton also fought and were killed in WW1. He can be found on our page dedicated to the Bourne War Memorial.

Marriage

  • No marriage for Graham has been found and we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

  • HOLMES – At Bourne Hospital, on August 8th, Graham Holmes, the dearly-beloved eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Holmes, of Witham-on-the-Hill, aged. 32 years.

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • Available but only discharge papers

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • None found

Pension Records

  • Available

Effects Left To

  • None found

Medals

  • The British Medal
  • The Victory Medal

Memorials

 

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  • In memory of Private Graham Holmes, 204226, 8th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 8 August 1919 Age 32
  • Son of Rachel Holmes, of Witham on the Hill, Linc., and the late James Holmes.
  • Remembered with honour, Witham on the Hill (St Andrew) Churchyard
  • Personal Inscription: THE DEARLY BELOVED SON OF JAMES & RACHEL HOLMES PEACE PERFECT PEACE

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • British Newspaper Archive.
  • Fold 3
  • Find My Past
  • Genealogist
  • Forces War Records
  • British Army Service Numbers
  • War Gratuity Calculator
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • National Archives – Battalion War Diaries
  • General Registry Office