Holm, Roy Campbell

2837 Private Roy Campbell Holm - 44th Battalion AIF

Roy Campbell Holm was born on the 6th June 1897 in Fremantle to Stewart and Elizabeth Holm. He had several siblings, Charles (1877), Jessie (1889), Louisa (1891), Alexander (1893) and Flora (1895).

The family lived at John Street North Fremantle and Roy was educated at North Fremantle Primary School. During his early years he also spent five years with the Army Cadets.

After leaving school he took up farm work on the local market gardens.

Sadly, his mother died on the 7th June 1916. Five days later Roy enlisted into the AIF at Fremantle. His older brother Alex had previously enlisted in 1915 and was away serving with the 11th Battalion.

The medical officer recorded Roy's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 5 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 123lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-35 inches;

Complexion - Fresh,

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

Roy was sent into No.75 Training Depot at Blackboy Hill Camp where he was taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 1st August 1916 he was then sent to the 23rd Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion. He was only there for three days before he was transferred into the 17th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion. He had a month training with this group but on the 6th September 1916 he was transferred to the 6th Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion.

Roy spent a month with this group but on the 4th October 1916 was transferred to the 7th Reinforcements to the 48th Battalion. Roy spent another month with this group but on the 13th November he was transferred again, this time to the 19th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion.

Roy did not stay with this group long as he was transferred back to the 6th Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion. On the 29th December 1916 Roy and his group went to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Persic and set sail for England.

After the long sea voyage the ship arrived at Devonport Harbour on the 3rd March 1917. The men were then disembarked and sent into the 11th Training Battalion at Durrington Camp on the Salisbury Plains.

On the 17th March Roy was sent to Fargo Military Hospital for a few days after reporting ill, but then reported back for Duty on the 21st March.

Roy was at the 11th Training Battalion for the next few months. On the 31st May 1917 Roy went absent without leave from camp, only returning on the 4th June 1917. As a punishment he was given 7 days of Field Punishment No.2 and was fined 10 days pay.

On the 19th June 1917 Roy proceeded across the English Channel to France. He spent a few weeks at the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Le Havre and was taken on strength of the 44th Battalion on the 9th July 1917.

The 44th Battalion were then serving in the Messines sector of Belgium. Roy would see his first major action at Warneton on the 31st July 1917 when the 44th Battalion were in an action that helped capture German positions.

In September 1917 the 44th Battalion moved to Ypres where they would take part in offensive operations currently taking place. In October 1917 the 44th battalion saw action at Broodseinde Ridge and Zonnebeke as the advance neared towards Passchendaele.

On the 20th October 1917 Roy was wounded when shrapnel struck him in the back. He was taken to the 11th Field Ambulance for initial treatment on his wounds and then sent to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station. He was then put on an ambulance train which took him to the French town of Boulogne. He was then admitted to the 53rd General Hospital. On the 27th October 1917 Roy was shipped to England and was admitted to Norfolk War Hospital. He would remain a patient here through to the 16th January 1918.

While he was in Norfolk War Hospital news came through to him that his brother Alex had been killed at Passchendaele on the 2nd November 1917. Alex had been killed by a shell not too far from where Roy had been wounded.

On the 16th January 1918, on release from Norfolk War Hospital, Roy was given a two week furlough. He was then to report to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott. Roy remained here till the 7th March 1918, when he was transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell.

On the 2nd April 1918 Roy returned to France and was sent to the Australian Infantry Base Depot Camp at Rouelles. He remained here for a few weeks and was taken back on strength of the 44th Battalion on the 19th April 1918.

The 44th Battalion were then on the Villers-Bretonneux front and would spend the next few months in this area.

On the 4th July 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. During the action Roy was wounded when shrapnel again hit him in the back. He was initially treated at the 13th Field Ambulance and then was taken to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station.

Roy was then admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Rouen. Fortunately the wound wasn't as severe as his first and on the 11th July 1918 he was released and sent to the 2nd Convalescent Camp at Rouen. On the 18th July he was transferred to 11 Convalescent Camp at Buchy. Roy remained here for a month and when he was well enough, on the 21st August 1918 he was sent to the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Rouelles.

Roy rejoined the 44th Battalion on the 26th August 1918. He joined them in time for their action near Clery and the advance past Peronne and Mont St Quentin. The 44th battalion were in action until the 1st October 1918 when they helped breach the Hindenburg Line near Bony.

Fortunately Roy came through this last month unscathed though on the 28th October 1918 he was evacuated ill though he returned to his unit on the 3rd November 1918.

When the Armistice was declared the 44th Battalion was still out of the frontline on a rest and training program. With the end of the war, the Australian units went to parts of Belgium and France that had been occupied by the Germans.

On the 30th January 1919 Roy was given a fortnights leave to England, rejoining his unit on the 17th February 1919.

In March 1919 Roy was admitted to No.3 Australian general Hospital at Abbeville. He had a few days there but was then sent on to England and was admitted to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford as he had been diagnosed with venereal disease.

On the 13th March 1919 Roy was then sent to Parkhouse Camp where he would wait to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 1st July 1919 Roy boarded the troopship Karmala and set sail from Devonport Harbour for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 8th August 1919.

Roy was discharged from the AIF on the 15th September 1919.

Roy then returned to live at 46 John Street North Fremantle and resumed his work as a labourer.

His father Stewart died on the 25th September 1925.

In 1931 Roy married Edith Bessie Brown and a daughter Pauline was born in 1933. They initially were living at 46 John Street North Fremantle before moving to Claremont in the 1930's.

They were in Claremont until the 1970's and then moved to Swanbourne for a few years.

Roy died on the 15th November 1982 aged 85 in Hamilton Hill. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.

photo courtesy of Holm Ancestry family Page