Name
Ernest William Holliman
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Ernest William Holliman was not included in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour. He appeared in a photograph in the Watford Illustrated newspaper on 4th September 1915, which showed five soldiers from Gallows Hill Cottages, Abbots Langley – TW Killick, E Holliman, J Sharp, F Sharp and T Bunn.
Ernest was born in the Autumn of 1884 at Hunton Bridge. He was one of six children (three sons and three daughters) born to William and Mary Holliman. At the time of the 1891 and 1901 Census the family lived at Gallows Hill, Abbots Langley where William worked as a General Labourer.
Ernest married Annie Hearn on 20th February 1904 at Langleybury and in the 1911 Census the family lived at 3 Gallows Hill.
Despite being christened Ernest William, and being recorded as such in the Census Records, Ernest joined up as William Ernest when he attested and enlisted on 6th January 1915 into the Royal Field Artillery (RFA). He gave his address at 30 Gallows Hill, his occupation a Painter, and listed four children. After identifying himself as a person willing to serve his King and Country as a soldier for the War in December 1914, Ernest received a letter requiring him to attend the Recruiting Office at Watford in the next seven days. Enclosed with the letter was a railway warrant from Kings Langley to Watford. On 23rd April 1915 he was posted as a Driver in the RFA.
In preparation for moving to France Ernest was posted to the 41st Reserve Battalion, and from there was posted to the RFA Expeditionary Force and left for France on 22nd October 1915. On 30th October he joined the 36th Brigade in the Field. Ernest served with the RFA for the remainder of the War, and after the Armistice in November 1918 he proceeded to Germany to serve with the Army of Occupation. On 27th April 1919 Ernest returned to England and was demobilised at Crystal Palace on 2nd May 1919.
Ernest William Holliman survived the War.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
