Name
William Matthew Holliday
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/10/1916
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5151
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
3 Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LONSDALE CEMETERY, AUTHUILLE
VII. F. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE HAS OUTSOAR'D THE SHADOW OF OUR NIGHT
UK & Other Memorials
4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Tewin Village Memorial, St Peter’s Church Muster Roll, Tewin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Not on the Welwyn Memorial
Pre War
William Matthew Holliday was born in 1897 in Sand Hutton, Yorkshire, the son of Henry and Elizabeth Holliday.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Weardley, Yorks where his father was a butler (probably at Harewood House which is close by). By 1911 they had moved to Tewin Water, Welwyn where his father was a butler for the Beit family who lived at Tewin Water House at the time. William was a 14 year old schoolboy.
Wartime Service
Although his home was at Tewin, nr. Welwyn, he enlisted in Hertford and served with the Hertfordshire Regiment. At some time he served with number 4 Company, but at the time of his death he was in 3 Company.
On 14 October 1916 The Hertfordshires were part of the 118th Brigade of the 39th Division in II Corps and were involved in an attack on the Schwaben Redoubt, immediately north of Thiepval, (the Battle of Ancre Heights) with the Hertfordshires either in support or reserve. He was killed in action during that attack which continued into 15 October. He was initially buried near where he fell, but at the end of the war his body was found and identified by the cross on that grave. His body was exhumed and reburied at Lonsdale Cemetery, Authille, France.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £5 10s and pay owing of £6 8s 11d. Pension cards exist in relation to William and his brother Henry, but give no indication of the amount of pension received.
His mother, Mrs E Holliday, Tewin, Welwyn, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription: “HE HAS OUTSOAR'D THE SHADOW OF OUR NIGHT",
Brother to Henry George Holliday who was killed in action on 11 April 1917 and is also named on the Tewin memorial.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
