Private Ernest Henry Holland

Reg No; 2174-751653
3rd Nbn [R] Bde
Royal Field Artillery

Died of Injuries June 1920; Aged 32
Remembered with Honour
Murton Cenotaph.

Born Seaham in1887, and residing at New Seaham Cottages then moving to Green Street, Seaham Harbour in 1901 when aged 13.

Ernest was employed as a Colliery Pit Heap Lad

The family Edward and Mary with sons Ernest, Edward Dalton and Hannah Maria Smith [niece] then relocated to 20 Dene Terrace in 1911, Ernest was at that time employed as mining hewer.

Ernest married Ann Green, Feb 7th 1914, at Holy Trinity Church Murton then resided at 2 Burnside Cottages Dalton le Dale. They had a child who was born March 11th 1916

Following his enlistment at Seaham Harbour in the Royal Field Artillery, Feb 3rd 1915 aged 27yrs, Ernest and Ann were living in 3 Western Terrace, Murton Colliery.

He sustained injuries on June 20th 1918, Ernest died June 1920, in Sunderland Hospitals aged 32.

In 1915 the 3rd Brigade proceeded to France from Southampton, landing at le Harve between the 16th and 19th of January, they concentrated in the area between Bailleul and Hazebrouck, being joined by additional Territorial units. In 1915 they were in action in The Second Battle of Ypres and The Battle of Loos. On the 19th of October 1915 orders were received to prepare to sail and five days later the first units left Marseilles for Alexandria in Egypt all units (RFA) arrived the by 22nd of November and they went on to Salonika on the 4th of January 1916. Later in the year they were in action during the occupation of Mazirko and the capture of Barakli Jum'a. In 1917 they were involved in the capture of Ferdie and Essex Trenches (near Barakli Jum'a) and then the capture of Barakli and Kumli. In mid 1918 a number of units returned to France. Ernest was Awarded the British War Medal, Victory Medal and the 1914/15 Star.