R Holman RE number 95005

[Hyskeir]

Thanks for the welcome. I am not sure if I am taking the right route, however my Grandfather who was in the RE in Palestine during WW1 and was attached to 35th Army Troops Company. He was eventually evacuated via the Anzac casualty clearing station to Jerusalem and then back to the UK. Whilst I do not hold his WW1 medal I do have one for an R Holman RE number 95005, it is possible they were both evacuated at the same time and that they may have been friends? Ideally I would like to get Sapper Holman's medal to his relatives. Any ideas?

[christanel]

Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
I have moved your post to the WW1 forum where it should generate more interest than in the Introduce Yourself forum.
If you came to us from Forces War records reading this will explain why you came to us.
It shouldn't be too long before help arrives
Christina

[christanel]

British Army Medal Index Cards, 1914-1920
Richard Holman
Sapper
Royal Engineers
Soldier Number: 95005

Hospital admission and discharge registers
R Holman age 37 born 1879
regiment number 95005 Royal Engineers
Admitted to hospital 1916
Transferred to 31 CCS
Discharged 28 June 1916

There is an original image but I can't read why he was admitted.

[Lesley Robertson]

I will add that Holman had the Victory and British medals as well as the 15 Star, having arrived in France on 4 Sept 1915. Despite the 1916 discharge, he's not on the list for a silver war badge.

His service record seems to be among the >60% that were destroyed during WW2.
It looks as though the two men were in different countries for at least some of the War - maybe they trained together. Or knew each other as civilians...

It might help if you gave us your Grandfather's name & number.

[Jomot1]

Despite the 1916 discharge, he's not on the list for a silver war badge.

The June 1916 discharge was from hospital, not the army, and I think the medical cause was urethal stricture. Casualty Clearing Station 31 was at that time in Salonika, Greece.

He was then admitted to CCS 28 on 11 Oct 1916 (discharged 21 Oct 1916) with Malaria, and again this was Salonika.

Both entries note him as 99 Field Company, Royal Engineers, which appears to have been part of the 31st Division until Feb 1915 then the 22nd Division.

He was eventually discharged to Class Z (Reserves) on 22 Feb 1919.

[Hyskeir]

Thanks all for your responses.
My Grandfather was Alfred Samuel Lawrence, born 1834, Yarcombe, Devon. As said he left the army as a Sapper number 179071. He was admitted on 29/09/19 to the Anzac Recovery Station with Benign Tertian Malaria. His admission number was 1797. Unfortunately the report document is a bit vague and in the "Date Transferred to Convoy" simply says Ludd? and the column headings indicated in the "Observation Column" are E.A.C.M? I suspect as said the Spr Holman was a friend and possibly local to Seaton Devon where my Grandfather lived for the rest of his life, although the name Holman does not appear in any family references.

[Lesley Robertson]

The 1911 census has 2 Richard Holmans, both born in Devon about 1879. However, one was in the Royal Marines in 1911, so not terribly likely to be yours. The other was a plumber born Exmouth, married to Ivy. You can't assume that he's the right guy, but he's a good candidate. He's in the 1939 register, still in Exmouth, with Ivy and a plumber.

I assume that Alfred's birth year was actually 1884, as shown in the 1911? He's also in the 1939 register, still in Seaton. I see that he was a builder, so he COULD have met Richard through the trade, but I can't think how to find out...

[Hyskeir]

Thanks again, the slightly bizarre aspect is that I played rugby with a Phil Holman from Exmouth, unfortunately he is now no longer with us!! I will try the Exmouth route.

[Lesley Robertson]

You could look for old trade directories and find out what sort of plumber he was - dripping tap or new house installation...