Holden, William
No.2674 – Private William John Holden – 51st Battalion AIF
William John Holden was born in Fremantle WA in 1893 to George and Catherine Holden. He was the eldest of five siblings, the others being Thomas, James, Ethel and Maud. He was educated at the locally and lived with his family in Frederick Street North Fremantle. (later renamed to Hevron St)
After leaving school William took up work as a Labourer and Timber Driver. He also served in the 86 Regiment Citizen Militia Forces, which was based in Fremantle.
On the 11th August 1915 William went to the Perth Drill Hall and enlisted in the AIF. He was passed as fit with the medical examiner finding him to be 5 feet 7 ½ inches tall; weight of 120 lbs; chest measurement of 31-25 inches; dark complexion; brown eyes and black hair. His religious denomination was Congregational. William spent two months in No.24 Depot and on the 16th October 1915 was allotted to the 6th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA until the end of October 1915. They then received their orders to depart and on the 2nd November 1915 boarded the H.M.A.T. “Ulysses” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt.
After arriving at Egypt in early December 1915 the men were disembarked and Will went with his group to the 7th Training Battalion at Zeitoun Camp. As Gallipoli was being evacuated the men were not sent to rejoin their unit but instead remained in their training battalion. In late February 1916 the AIF doubled in size which meant that many men were sent to different units. William was one of these, and on the 3rd March 1916 he was taken on strength of the 51st Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir Camp. Two weeks later Will was transferred to the 4th Pioneer Battalion and remained training with them in the Egyptian desert.
On the 4th June 1916, William as part of the 4th Pioneers boarded the troopship “Scotian” in Alexandria and set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 11th June 1916. The men were then put onto trains and sent north to near Armentieres. In late June they had their first taste of life on the Western Front near Fleurbaix. On the 7th July Will was transferred back to the 51st Battalion, though he only remained with them until the 27th July. He was then sent to join the 13th Machine Gun Company and he served with them through the actions of August and September 1916 at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm.
Will survived the Battle of the Somme unscathed and in October 1916 it was discovered that he was struck off the strength of the 51st Battalion in error and so he was transferred back to the 51st. Will served with the Battalion through the French winter of 1916/17. It seems he was given leave to England in January 1917 and on the 2nd February 1917 it seems he got into trouble for being drunk and incapable while on active service, also being improperly dressed and losing his hat. He was given 28 days of Field Punishment No.2 as a result. Will was returned to Perham Downs Camp in England and then sent back to France, eventually rejoining the 51st Battalion on the 16th February 1917.
He served with the 51st Battalion as they followed up the German withdrawal in March/April 1917 and fought at Noreuil and other outpost villages. On the 30th April he was admitted to the 4th Dressing Station was a septic right foot, rejoining his unit on the 12th May 1917. On the 18th May 1917 he was appointed Lance Corporal and June served at the Messines battle, which he came through unscathed. On the 25th June he reverted back to the rank of Private at his own request.
Through July and August 1917 the 51st Battalion continued to hold the line in the Messines sector, though in early September they moved towards Ypres as they would take part in the upcoming offensive. The Australians took part in the Battle of Menin Road on the 20th September, and six days later on the 26th September, the 51st was part of an advance on Westhoek Ridge. During this action William was killed. His body was later recovered and he is buried in Aeroplane Cemetery near Ypres in Belgium in plot III.A.14.
William’s younger brothers had also served; Tom had been killed at Pozieres the previous year while James survived the war after serving with the 10th Light Horse Regiment.