Pte
John Holt
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1884 |
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Place of birth: Bradshaw, Bolton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: House Painter/ Paperhanger |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 202743 |
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Units: — Lancashire Fusiliers, 2/5th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 20/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Schüler Galleries, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 33 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 57 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Private John Holt, a former house painter, served in the 2/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, which was part of the 164th Brigade, 55th Division. This Division took part in the battle of the Menin Road Ridge on the 20th of September 1917.
The 55th Division attacked with the 165th and 164th Brigade. The objective of the attack was to capture the Green Line, a line that ran from Wurst Farm in the north to Tulip Cottages in the South.
The 2/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers were located in the centre of the 164th Brigade, with the 1/8th (Irish) Battalion King’s (Liverpool Regiment) on the left and the 1/4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on the right. The right Battalion boundary of the 2/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers was Hindu cottage.
The Battalion advanced at 5:40 a.m. and attacked a German machine gun at Schuler Galleries. This position was strongly defended, causing around 150 men of the Battalion to become casualties. This strongpoint was overcome before 7:15 a.m. and a forward command post was established. Around the same time Aisne Farm was reported to be captured. After consolidating Schuler Galleries the men moved forward to the Green Line, but heavy fighting was reported near Schuller Farm. Eventually the order was given to dig in. At 8:15 p.m. the 164 Brigade held Schuler Farm and Keir Farm. The Green Line was not captured, but some forward posts were established in shell holes on Green Line. The men held the line until they were relieved in the night of the 23/24th September.
At around 4. p.m. it was estimated that 14 officers and 450 other ranks had become casualties in the attack. Private John Holt was one of the men killed on that day, most likely in the attack on Schuler Galleries or in the fighting near Schuler Farm. He has no known grave and is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial.
The 55th Division attacked with the 165th and 164th Brigade. The objective of the attack was to capture the Green Line, a line that ran from Wurst Farm in the north to Tulip Cottages in the South.
The 2/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers were located in the centre of the 164th Brigade, with the 1/8th (Irish) Battalion King’s (Liverpool Regiment) on the left and the 1/4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on the right. The right Battalion boundary of the 2/5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers was Hindu cottage.
The Battalion advanced at 5:40 a.m. and attacked a German machine gun at Schuler Galleries. This position was strongly defended, causing around 150 men of the Battalion to become casualties. This strongpoint was overcome before 7:15 a.m. and a forward command post was established. Around the same time Aisne Farm was reported to be captured. After consolidating Schuler Galleries the men moved forward to the Green Line, but heavy fighting was reported near Schuller Farm. Eventually the order was given to dig in. At 8:15 p.m. the 164 Brigade held Schuler Farm and Keir Farm. The Green Line was not captured, but some forward posts were established in shell holes on Green Line. The men held the line until they were relieved in the night of the 23/24th September.
At around 4. p.m. it was estimated that 14 officers and 450 other ranks had become casualties in the attack. Private John Holt was one of the men killed on that day, most likely in the attack on Schuler Galleries or in the fighting near Schuler Farm. He has no known grave and is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 5
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com Sources used |
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Chris McCarthy, 'Passchendaele : The Day-by-Day' London: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018, p. 84-85. Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/837096/holt,-john/ Sources used |
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Naval & Military Archive http://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used |
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The long long trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |