33rd BATTALION AIF
Private: 1951 Eric Frederick Roy HOLLAND.
Born: 1899. Auckland, New Zealand.
Died: 13th of July 1917. Died of Wounds, Surrey, England.
Father:
Mother: Sarah Ann Holland.
INFORMATION
No.1951 Eric Frederick Roy HOLLAND was an 18 year old Boot-Maker from Haberfield in NSW when he enlisted in the AIF at Sydney on the 31st March 1916. He had trained previously with the 32nd Infantry Battalion (Militia) under the ‘Compulsory Training Scheme’. He nominated his Mother as his next-of-kin on his Attestation Form.
He embarked from Australia as a member of the 2nd Reinforcements of the 33rd BATTALION aboard the HMAT (A15) ‘Port Sydney’ that sailed from Sydney on the 4th September 1916 and disembarked at Plymouth in England on the 29th October 1916. On arrival the Reinforcements travelled by train to Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, where they marched into the 9th Training Battalion.
On the 20th of December 1916 he deployed from England across to France, marching in to the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples.
· Offence - on the 29th December 1916 he was charged with the offence “Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he gave his pass to another soldier”. He was found ‘Guilty’ and forfeited two days pay.
On the 25th of January 1917 he marched out to the front with other reinforcements and was taken-on-strength by the 33rd BATTALION AIF (New England’s Own / the Northern Battalion) at Houplines in France on the 26th January 1917. He was one of ninety-four reinforcements to arrive and he was posted to “D” Company.
On the 4th June 1917 while doing fatigue work at the dumps in Ploegsteert Wood, near Messines, Belgium he was WOUNDED-IN-ACTION when an enemy shell exploded nearby and he was struck in the throat by shrapnel. He was admitted to the 9th Field-Ambulance and then transferred to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Wimereux. He was invalided to England on the 22nd June and then admitted to the No2 Military Hospital in Canterbury. On the 27th of June he was considered well enough to be transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.
He subsequently DIED-OF-WOUNDS on the 13th of July 1917, from acute oedema and heart failure.
He was interred with Military-Honours at the Brookwood Military Cemetery at Pirbright in Surrey, England.
(Bill Durrant: August 2020)
Family Information
Eric was a single 18 year old Boot Maker from 63 Hawthorne Parade, Haberfield, N.S.W. upon enlistment with the AIF
Military Records
Under Construction: 28/08/2020.