Name
John James Holzmeyer
18 February 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/12/1915
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20155
Hampshire Regiment
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOIRAN MEMORIAL
First Unit
Greece
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
London Colney Village Memorial,
Shenley War Memorial
Pre War
John James Holzmeyer was born on 15 February 1887 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, the son of Charles William and Sarah Holzmeyer. He was baptised at St Peter's Church, London Colney, Herts on 28 October 1888.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 35 Prospect Road, Cheshunt, Herts, where his father was working as a grocer's assistant. They had moved to 47 Grenade Street, Stepney, London by 1901 and his father's occupation was then listed as grocer.
He married Amy Elizabeth Oakley on 22 January 1910 at London Colney, and their son Horace was born later the same year. They also had a daughter Janet in 1913 but sadly she died soon after birth. On the 1911 Census they were recorded as living at 3 Margaret Cottages, Shenley, Herts where John was working as a cowman on a farm.
His home address was later given as Summer Cottages, Waterside, London Colney.
Wartime Service
He enlisted St Albans as a volunteer in August 1914, initially serving with the Bedfordshire Regiment under service no. 19041, later being transferred to the Hampshire Regiment. After training, he was drafted to Salonika, serving in various operations in the Balkan campaign from 3 October 1915.
He was killed in action on 7 December 1915, aged 28. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Doiran Memorial, Salonika, Greece.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 10s and pay owing of £1 13s 1d. She also received a pension of 15 shillings a week for herself and her child Horace. Her address on pension records was given as 5 Lowbell Lane, London Colney, St Albans. She later remarried to Sydney James Preece on 21 November 1918.
Brother of Carl William Holzmeyer who served with the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and died in France on 2 January 1916, aged 33. His youngest brother Douglas Ross enlisted with the Royal West Kent Regiment prior to the war and was listed as a Private on the 1911 Census. He served with the regiment throughout the war and survived, dying in 1971 in St Albans.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, shenleyww1.wordpress
