South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project
The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One |
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Military History |
| Theatre of War | Medals | Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial |
|---|---|---|
| France & Flanders | 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals | Villers-Bretonneux Cemetery |
| Arrived in Theatre | Medal Citation (if app) | SWFHS Area Memorials |
| 2 March 1915 in Alexandria | ~ | Studley War Memorial |
| Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed | Date and Place Enlisted | Other War Memorials |
| Battle of Pozieres | 25 Aug 1914 in Brisbane, Australia | ~ |
| Place of Death | Other Information | |
| near Pozieres | Served at Gallipoli | |
| Twice previously wounded and returned to action |
Circumstances of Death
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Thomas is listed as being killed in action on 21st August 1916. The following is an AI (Grok3) precis of the events of that day and the wider Battle of Pozieres. On August 21, 1916, the 9th Battalion, Australian Infantry, part of the 3rd Brigade in the 1st Division of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), was engaged in fierce fighting during the Battle of Pozières, specifically around the Mouquet Farm sector. This action was part of the broader Somme offensive on the Western Front in World War I. By this date, the initial capture of Pozières village (achieved by the 1st Division in late July) had given way to a grinding series of attacks and counterattacks as the Australians sought to expand their gains northward toward Mouquet Farm, a heavily fortified German position known to the troops as "Moo Cow Farm."
The 9th Battalion had been rotated out of the line after their costly success in the July 23 assault on Pozières but returned to the Somme front in mid-August as the 1st Division was recommitted to the battle. On August 21, the battalion was involved in an assault aimed at capturing key German strongpoints near Mouquet Farm, including portions of the Fabeck Graben trench system. The objective was to disrupt German defenses and support the broader Allied effort to push toward Thiepval. The attack began in the early hours, following an artillery bombardment that, while intense, failed to neutralize the deep German dugouts and machine-gun emplacements.
The 9th Battalion advanced alongside other units of the 3rd Brigade, moving through a devastated landscape of shell craters, shattered trenches, and barbed wire. They encountered ferocious resistance from German troops, who unleashed machine-gun fire and artillery barrages on the exposed Australians. The battalion managed to seize parts of the enemy line, but progress was slow and costly. Small groups of soldiers, often cut off from their units due to the chaotic terrain and poor visibility, engaged in desperate hand-to-hand fighting with bayonets and bombs (hand grenades). By the end of the day, the 9th Battalion had gained some ground but failed to secure all its objectives, as German counterattacks and relentless shelling pinned them down.
Casualties were severe, reflecting the battalion’s earlier experience at Pozières. The war diary of the 9th Battalion and accounts from the period note the relentless strain on the men, with many killed, wounded, or missing amid the confusion of battle. The conditions were horrific—mud, blood, and the constant roar of artillery eroded morale, yet the battalion held its position until relieved shortly after. The fighting on August 21 was part of a series of attacks around Mouquet Farm that stretched from mid-August into September, ultimately costing the 1st Division thousands more casualties before the position was finally taken.
This engagement underscored the brutal reality of the Somme campaign for the 9th Battalion. After this action, they remained in the line for a few more days before being withdrawn for rest and reinforcement, having played their part in one of the AIF’s bloodiest chapters of the war.
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| Personal & Family History |
| Birth Date/Place | Baptism Date/Place |
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| Jul Qtr 1883 in Studley | 23 Sep 1883 at Studley, St. Mary's |
| Parents Names | Abode |
| James (deceased) and Mary Elizabeth Holloway (later Blick) | Castle Rd., Studley |
| Schools | Colleges |
| ~ | |
| Address History | Employment History |
| 1883 - Studley | 1891 - Scholar |
| 1891 - Mill Lane, Studley | 1901 - Bicycle Factory Worker |
| 1901 - Mill Lane, Studley | 1911 - Not found |
| 1911 - Not Found | 1914 - Labourer |
| 1914 - Brisbane, Australia |
