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Auction: 17001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 180

(x) Family group:

Three: Hon. Major & Quarter-Master W. Holmes, King's Royal Rifle Corps

Afghanistan 1878-80, 2 clasps, Ahmed Khel, Kandahar (1673 Sgt. I. of M. W. Holmes, 2/60th Foot); Kabul to Kandahar Star 1880 (1673 Sgt. I. of M. W. Holmes, 2/60 Foot); Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 (Capt. & Qr. Mr. W. Holmes, K.R.R.C.), the dated clasp unofficially riveted, together with a silver Regimental Shooting Medal, inscribed to 'Major W. Holmes, 9th K.R.R.C., 1904', scratches to upper right obverse field on the first, otherwise good very fine

Pair: Captain G. L. Holmes, Indian Army

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. G. L. Holmes), good very fine (6)

William Holmes was born in Bradford, Yorkshire on 27 August 1850 and enlisted in the 2/60th King's Royal Rifles in Ireland in September 1867.

Embarked for India in October 1868, he gained rapid advancement, being appointed Corporal in May 1871, Sergeant in September 1872 and Sergeant Instructor of Musketry in March 1877. He was subsequently present at Ahmed Khel and in the operations of the Kandahar Field Force (Medal & 2 clasps; Star), and gained further advancement to Sergeant-Major in June 1880.

Having then served in South Africa at the time of the First Anglo-Boer War, Holmes was embarked for England in early 1882. Appointed to the 6th (Royal Flint) Militia Battalion, K.R.R.C., he was commissioned Hon. Lieutenant and Quarter-Master in the 9th (North Cork) Militia Battalion, K.R.R.C., in April 1886.

It was in this capacity that he was embarked for South Africa in January 1900, the Battalion at once proceeding to the front in Colesburg District and seeing action on 14 February. The Battalion saw further action over the coming months whilst employed on railway protection duties from the Vaal to Wolvehoek. Holmes was promoted to Hon. Captain and Quarter-Master and mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 29 July 1902, refers).

Granted the honorary rank of Major in January 1903, he was placed on the Retired List in August 1905 and died at Downside Park, Carrickfergus, Ireland on 19 March 1937; sold with an extensive file of copied research.

George Leonard Holmes, was born at Bank Place, Mallow, Co. Cork on 24 April 1897, the son of Hon. Captain & Quarter-Master William Holmes. Young George attended the R.M.C. Sandhurst and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 99th Deccan Infantry from the Indian Unattached List in November 1916. Advanced to Lieutenant in August 1917, he was next appointed Adjutant of the 150th Infantry in May 1918. Having then been promoted to Captain in August 1920, he was placed on the Indian Army Retired List in November 1922.


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Sold for
£1,200