Holland, Reginald Wilfred

534 Driver Reginald Wilfred Holland - 16th Battalion AIF

Reginald Wilfred Holland was born in Footscray Victoria on the 18th July 1887 to William and Isabella Holland. He had five siblings; Edith (1880), Sydney (1882), George (1883), Harold (1885) and Clifford (1889).

The family moved over to Western Australia and took up residence in Fremantle. Reginald completed his schooling in Fremantle and after leaving school he secured work at Fremantle Harbour as a Lumper.

In 1908 in Fremantle Reg married Violet Lillian Hall and a daughter called Edith was born in 1909.

In 1910 the family was living at 52 Hulbert Street South Fremantle.

They were soon expecting another child, and a daughter Dorine Holland, was born but died at childbirth on the 11th July 1911. Sadly Violet did not recover from the birth and she died a week later on the 16th July 1911.

In 1912 Reg and his daughter Edith were living at 80 Holdsworth Street Fremantle and Reg was working as a plumber. Prior to the Great War Reg had moved to 51 Howard Street.

On the 25th September 1914 Reg enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 4 & 3/4 inches tall;

Weight - 131lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-38 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment Reg was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 16th Battalion AIF.

As the 16^th Battalion also had a few companies made up of South Australians it was decided that the battalion would join together in Melbourne along with the other battalions of the 4^th Brigade. So after initial training in WA the 16^th Battalion embarked for Melbourne, where they trained at Broadmeadows Camp for a few more weeks. The 16^th then embarked from Melbourne aboard the H.M.A.T. “Ceramic”.

After their arrival in Egypt in late January 1915, the 16^th Battalion were disembarked and the 4^th Brigade found they were to join up with two New Zealand Brigades to form the Australian and New Zealand Division. They trained in Egypt until April 1915 when they departed Alexandria Egypt bound for Lemnos Island. Once they arrived at Lemnos, off the coast of Turkey, they found many troopships containing other Australian, New Zealand, British, Indian and French troops. While the 1^st Australian Division would make the initial landing the NZ & A Division would land later to reinforce.

On April 25^th 1915 the men of the 1^st Division landed and made their way inland. As the day progressed the Turkish resistance stiffened and there was danger of a Turkish breakthrough. About 5pm on April 25^th, the 16^th Battalion landed and were sent up to a crucial piece of ground which was later to be known as Pope’s Hill, named for the 16^th Battalion CO. In the dark there was much confusion but the 16^th managed to establish a line against the Turks and for the next week held this position despite large casualties.

Reg was listed as wounded in the neck on the 3rd May 1915 but after treatment at the 4th Field Ambulance he remained on duty. The 16th Battalion spent May around the Quinn's Post sector and on the 7th June Reg was wounded again, this time through the hand. He was evacuated for medical aid but seems to have returned to Gallipoli a few weeks later.

Reg was wounded for a third time in July 1915 when he was shot through the jaw. On the 27th July 1915 he was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Heliopolis.

On the 15th August 1915 Reg was returned to Western Australia aboard the troopship Themistocles, arriving at Fremantle on the 9th September 1915.

After his return home Reg was taken to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for more medical treatment. Reg was eventually discharged from the AIF on the 9th May 1916.

He then returned home to 51 Howard Street Fremantle and resumed his work as a Lumper.

In 1917 he married  Ethel Jame Woodcock in Fremantle and they took up residence in 160 Holland Street East Fremantle (now 89 Holland). They would have further children, Frank (1917), Reginald (1920), William (1922), Faye (1924) and Ray (1926).

The family lived in Holland Street through to the 1930's and Reg was working for the Fremantle Tramways

Sadly Reg died on the 9th September 1939 in Fremantle aged 53. He is buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican MON A6 0400

In 1940 Ethel Holland also died.