Holm, Alexander Bain
No.3362 – Sergeant Alexander Bain Holm MM – 11th Battalion AIF
Alexander Bain Holm was born in Auburn Victoria in 1893 to Stewart and Elizabeth Holm. He was one of six children with his siblings being Charles, Jessie, Lulu, Flora and Roy. The family moved to Fremantle in 1895 where their two youngest children were born. They took up residence in John Street North Fremantle and their children were educated locally. After leaving school Alex took up work as a Clerk with D&J Fowler.
On the 14th July 1915 Alex went to the Perth Drill Hall in Perth and enlisted in the AIF.
Alex was passed as fit by the medical examiner who found him to be 5 feet 7 ½ inches in height; weight of 141 lbs; chest measurement of 35-38 inches; fair complexion; brown eyes and dark hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian. Alex spent two months in the training depots and it wasn’t until the 27th September 1915 that he was allotted to the 11th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for five weeks until they received their orders for departure. On the 2nd November 1915 Alex and his group boarded the H.M.A.T. “Ulysses” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail overseas.
After arriving in Egypt in December 1915, Alex and his group were sent to the 3rd Training Battalion. As Gallipoli was being evacuated they weren’t sent to the Dardanelles but remained in Egypt. The 11th Battalion returned to Egypt in early January 1916 but Alex did not join them until the 2nd March 1916 at Habieta Camp. The 11th Battalion only had three more weeks of training in Egypt as on the 29th March 1916 they boarded the H.M.T. “Corsican” in Alexandria and set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 5th April 1916. After being disembarked in Marseilles, the men were put on to trains and sent to the north of France, where they arrived near Fleurbaix and their first taste of life on the Western Front. They remained in this sector until the end of June 1916. In early July they began to make their way to the Somme Battlefield. This battle had been raging since July 1st though the 1st Australian Division came into the line in mid July. They were tasked with the capture of Pozieres village, which they successfully took, but had to endure a hurricane of shellfire from the Germans. During the action Alex was wounded in the left arm. Alex was evacuated to the 2nd Field Ambulance and was then sent to the 8th General Hospital at Rouen. His wound was assessed as serious enough for evacuation to England and he left France on the 25th July. Arriving at England he was admitted to the Australian Auxiliary Hospital where he remained for several weeks. On the 18th September 1916 he was transferred to Woodcott Park Convalescent Hospital in Epsom. Alex remained here for a month and after his arm was healed he was given a fortnight’s furlough, after which he was to report to No.1 Command Depot at Perham Downs Camp.
Alex overstayed his leave by seven days and after reporting to camp on the 7th November he was punished by having 7 days of being confined to camp and the forfeiture of 7 days pay. On the 1st December 1916 Alex was sent to Parkhouse VD Hospital and remained there until the 30th December 1916. Alex then returned to the Infantry Depot and on the 24th January 1917 returned to France. After a short time in the 1st Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples, Alex rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 7th February 1917.
Alex served with the 11th Battalion through the Battle of the outpost villages from February to early April at places such as Le Barque and Morchies, Lagnicourt in April and Bullecourt in May 1917. He came through all these actions unscathed and on the 12th May was appointed Corporal and then Temporary Sergeant. After the Bullecourt battle in May, the 11th Battalion was withdrawn from the line for a well deserved rest and on the 8th July Alex was confirmed in his rank of Sergeant.
The 11th Battalion came back into the line in September 1917 to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 20th September 1917 they took part in the Battle of Menin Road. The attack was a success and Alex was awarded the Military Medal for his actions. The recommendation read;
“Sgt Holm was unfailing in his efforts to keep up a continuous supply of material to the troops of the 2nd and 3rd objectives. When the 1st objective was captured he immediately reorganised his carrying party and in spite of a heavy continuous barrage maintained by the enemy on the rear positions during the above period repeatedly led his men between the rear and forward dumps. His courageous example and utter disregard for his own personal safety were undoubtedly responsible for keeping his men organised and in consequence the maintenance of an unfailing forward flow of material.”
Alex survived the actual advances through September and October 1917 but was killed in action by shellfire on November 2nd 1917 when he was in a forward outpost with Lieutenant Willie Irving & No.5147 Pte James McLeod. As it was a forward outpost the bodies could not be brought back for burial but were all buried together on the spot. After the war the war graves authorities discovered Pte McLeod’s body but Lt Irving and Alex Holm were not located, so Alex was commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. According to the Commonwealth War Graves;
“No.5147 Pte J. McLeod was recovered from trench map ref. 28.D.17.c.40.80. in March 1920. There is no indication that any additional bodies were recovered with McLeod. McLeod was identified from the discovery of his Id tag. The grave was not found marked with a cross.”
Alex’s Brother Roy served in the war with the 44th Battalion and returned home safely in 1919.