Pte
George Warner Holt
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 08/03/1886 |
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Place of birth: Winterset, Iowa, Madison County, United States of America |
General information
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Last known residence: Bellevue, Alberta, Canada |
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Profession: Clerk |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 898028 |
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Enlistment date: 16/02/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Bellevue, Alberta, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 49th Bn. (Edmonton) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 30/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Bellevue, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 31 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 30 B |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
George Holt was born in 1886 at Winterset, Iowa to Edgar and Launa Holt. When George was 11 years old, the family took a wagon train from western Iowa towards Montana. They made a stop in Montana where the boys took a job as cowboys on the Flathead Indian Reservation. During this trip, his father Edgar, did all kinds of blacksmithing jobs on the trail. The family arrived in Canada around 1909. From the trip, they kept some items that are still in the family, such as a table made from the wood of one of the double wagon boxes they used. Sometime later, George worked as a clerk.
George enlisted on the 16 February 1916 at Bellevue, Alberta. He was appointed to the 49th Canadian Infantry (Edmonton), part of the 7th Brigade, of the 3rd Canadian Division, and landed in France right before Christmas 1916. A year later, at the end of October 1917, George and his battalion were stationed near Passchendaele. On October 30th the Canadians resume their attack on Passchendaele. The 3rd division attacked with the 8th brigade on the left and the 7th brigade on the right. From the Bellevue heights, which had been taken a couple days before, they move further up the spur towards Goudberg and Meetcheele, northwest of Passendaele. The 7th Brigade at Bellevue advanced towards Meetcheele. Two battalions carried the attack: the Patricias and the 49th Battalion. The state of the terrain played tricks on the attackers. The Patricias had to drag themselves through the mud to Meetcheele. The barrage did little or no damage to the German pillboxes. The goal line was reached at the cost of heavy sacrifices. Eight out of 10 officers and six out of 10 men are either killed, wounded or missing. To the left of the Patricias, the 49th headed towards Fürst Farm. Before the attack started, the battalion was hit by friendly fire. German artillery targeted the battalion at their starting positions. Fürst Farm was taken, but any further advance over open and muddy terrain was impossible. One by one the men fell prey to German snipers. The 49th suffered heavy casualties. 126 men were killed, 288 others were wounded and 29 men went found missing.
George was killed on 30 October 1917. He was buried together with some of his comrades. According to his Circumstances of Casualties record, behind the trenches at Bellevue. Today George has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate.
George enlisted on the 16 February 1916 at Bellevue, Alberta. He was appointed to the 49th Canadian Infantry (Edmonton), part of the 7th Brigade, of the 3rd Canadian Division, and landed in France right before Christmas 1916. A year later, at the end of October 1917, George and his battalion were stationed near Passchendaele. On October 30th the Canadians resume their attack on Passchendaele. The 3rd division attacked with the 8th brigade on the left and the 7th brigade on the right. From the Bellevue heights, which had been taken a couple days before, they move further up the spur towards Goudberg and Meetcheele, northwest of Passendaele. The 7th Brigade at Bellevue advanced towards Meetcheele. Two battalions carried the attack: the Patricias and the 49th Battalion. The state of the terrain played tricks on the attackers. The Patricias had to drag themselves through the mud to Meetcheele. The barrage did little or no damage to the German pillboxes. The goal line was reached at the cost of heavy sacrifices. Eight out of 10 officers and six out of 10 men are either killed, wounded or missing. To the left of the Patricias, the 49th headed towards Fürst Farm. Before the attack started, the battalion was hit by friendly fire. German artillery targeted the battalion at their starting positions. Fürst Farm was taken, but any further advance over open and muddy terrain was impossible. One by one the men fell prey to German snipers. The 49th suffered heavy casualties. 126 men were killed, 288 others were wounded and 29 men went found missing.
George was killed on 30 October 1917. He was buried together with some of his comrades. According to his Circumstances of Casualties record, behind the trenches at Bellevue. Today George has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate.
Sources 4
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Holt Vera, The Lantern Era : a History of Cherhill, Rochfort Bridge, Sangudo and Surrounding School Districts. (Sangudo and District, Sangudo and District History Society, 1979). Sources used |
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG 150; Volume: Box 4468 - 39). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War diaries: 1st Pioneer Battalion (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4940, Microfilm reel number: T-10747, File number: 440). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War Graves Registers: Circumstances of Death (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG 150, 1992-93/314; Volume Number: 193). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1593109 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=e470af84-e16d-41ad-a55b-1adfd8f1837a |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1593109 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5934159 |