From A District at War by Neil Drum & Pete Thomas

From A District at War by Neil Drum & Pete Thomas

In May 2001 farmland at Le Point du Jour, which was due to be built on (ironically to construct a BMW car factory), was excavated by French archaeologists. They discovered a shallow battlefield grave containing twenty British soldiers, lying side by side, who are all believed to be men of the 10th Lincolns who were killed on 9th April 1917. It is known that twenty-four other ranks of the 10th Lincolns were killed in this attack, twenty having no known grave. Although no badges or identity discs were found on the remains, four shoulder titles were identified which linked them to the Lincolns. We now know that Harry’s identity disc and cap badge, shoulder titles and dog tags were removed from his body and returned to the family. The bodies were facing upwards, lying side by side, with their elbows overlapping so that they were all linking arms as if ‘comrades in death.’ This suggests that they were possibly soldiers from the same unit. As well as the fact that twenty were found (the same number of Lincolns missing from the attack), the location and the shoulder titles all indicated these are men of the 10th Lincolns. Although it will never be confirmed, it is almost certain that one of these men is Harry Holland. The men were reburied in the Point du Jour Military Cemetery, Athies near Arras, France. The reburial service was held at Point du Jour on Tuesday, 9th April 2002, 85 years to the day that Harry died. The memorial service was conducted by the Reverend Ray Jones, Chaplain of St George’s Memorial Church, Ieper (Ypres) and the Reverend Yabbacombe of St Nicholas’ Church, Lincoln. The service was attended by the Director of the CWGC, the Consul-General and other official guests and was followed by a meal of honour arranged by the local village. During the same visit Edna also attended a remembrance ceremony at the Arras Memorial on 7th April and a ceremony at Lochnagar the next day, where a bench was dedicated to the 10th Lincolns. All the ceremonies and travel were organised by the Lincolnshire Regiment’s Association.

Created by: , Pete160211

  • Profile picture for Harry Holland

    Born 1895

    Died 1917

    British Army 32950 Private Lincolnshire Regiment