Name
Sidney Silas Holder
11/1/1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/12/1917
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Able Seaman
R/3913
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Nelson Bn. R.N. Div.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
FLESQUIERES HILL BRITISH CEMETERY
V. C. 14.
France
Headstone Inscription
EVER IN OUR THOUGHTS GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Borehamwood memorials,
Flitwick War Memorial, Flitwick, Bedfordshire
Pre War
Sidney Silas Holder was born on 11 November 1889, in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, the son of Samuel Holder, a Railway Signalman and Eliza Holder (nee Rixon). One of four children, Frederick (B 1886), James (B 1888) and Dora (B 1896).
1891 Census records Sidney aged 2, living with his parents, brothers Fred (5) and James (3), in, Borehamwood, Herts.
1901 Census records Sidney his parents, two brothers and sister Dora living at, 5 Railway Cottages, Borehamwood, Herts.
In 1910, Sidney Married Clara Beatrice Wilson of St Albans. They went on to have three children, Sydney Roy born 1911, Nellie Frances born 1914 and Joan born 1916.
1911 Census records Sidney, married to Clara and working as a railway Porter, they have a one-month-old son Sydney and living in Windmill Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire.
Wartime Service
Sidney enlisted in November 1915, posted to the Reserve on 15 November 1915, mobilized for War Service on 23 June 1917, and posted to the 4th Reserve Battalion, Royal Naval Division at Blandford Camp, Dorset on 25 June 1917. He was drafted to Nelson Battalion, RND, on 18 October 1917, arriving in Calais, France later that month.
Sidney was killed in Action on the 31 December 1917, during the Battle of Welsh Ridge (30 – 31 December 1917).
At about 6-30am, on the 31st, the Germans started a Bombardment of Welsh Ridge Trenches, when the Bombardment stopped the RND was attached by heavily armed Stormtroopers wearing white snow suits for camouflage during the Bombardment.
During the two days of heavy fighting the RND suffered over 1400 casualties, Sidney being one of them.
Additional Information
Clara received a widows pension of 29/7 a week from 4 July 1918. Her recorded address was 9, Chaple Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire when she ordered his headstone inscription: "EVER IN OUR THOUGHTS GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS".
Sidney’s Royal Naval Division record card was found and used.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
