Holmes, William

Chief Engine Room Artificer

No. M/1152, H.M.T.B. ‘7’, Royal Navy

Died of disease on Saturday 9 November 1918 (aged 36)

Buried:

Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, Kent, England (Naval 5. 265)

Commemorated:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

First Bangor Presbyterian Church

BIOGRAPHY

William Holmes was born in Belfast on 13 May 1882 and he was a son of Charles and Mary Jane Holmes (nee McKibbin) who were married on 19 August 1881 in Newington Presbyterian Church Belfast.

The Holmes family lived in Belfast at 34 Fleet Street; 43 Meadow Street; 6 Thorndale Avenue and 22 Canning Street.

Captain Charles Holmes was a master mariner and he and Mary Jane had eight children including:

William (born 13 May 1882 at 34 Fleet Street, Belfast)

Alexander McKibbin (born 11 April 1883 at 34 Fleet Street, Belfast)

Alice (born 7 June 1885 at 43 Meadow Street, Belfast)

David Gray (born 9 February 1889 at 43 Meadow Street, Belfast)

John McKibben (born 2 February 1891 in Church Avenue, Holywood)

Winifred (born 7 December 1894 at 6 Thorndale Avenue, Belfast)

Joshua Haddock (born 24 January 1900 at 22 Canning Street, Belfast)

The Holmes family moved from Belfast to Marine Parade in Holywood and then to Killiney in Bangor.

In April 1915, it was reported in the Press that Charles Holmes, son of Captain and Mrs Holmes of Killiney, Bangor was serving as a Captain with the Canadian Contingent and had been home on a few days’ leave.  It was also reported that their son David was serving in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Renard.

Their father, Charles Holmes Senior, died on 15 December 1915.

William Holmes worked as an engineer and he served in the Royal Navy aboard His Majesty’s Torpedo Boat ‘7’.

Chief Engine Room Artificer William Holmes was 36 when he died of disease on 9 November 1918 and he was buried in Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery, Kent, England.

Chief Engine Room Artificer William Holmes is commemorated on the Memorial Window in First Bangor Presbyterian Church.