Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Holyoak of Kibworth, Leics., and the husband of Violet Mary Needham (formerly Holyoak) of High Street, Kibworth, Leics. The War Diary entry for the 15th June 1917 records. TRENCHES. Attack of the 58th Division commenced at 2.50am. The enemy put down a heavy barrage on GUARDIAN TRENCH for ¾ hour. At 10.00am the enemy commenced to shell GUARDIAN TRENCH with heavy shells. A high velocity naval gun was fired with great accuracy on GUARDIAN TRENCH and the Brigade dump at U.13.c.1.4. and the QUARRY. The Battalion had approximately 40 casualties during the morning and many men were buried. As the working strength of the Battalion was now about 280 other ranks, the men who had been digging until 2.30am were ordered to help with the carrying of material from the Brigade dump to forward dumps. All available men from 5.00am onwards, carrying and all dumps were complete by 9.30pm. The dump and all communication trenches were shelled continuously causing casualties to the carrying parties which had to pass through this shelling on each journey. Just after the carrying parties returned to GUARDIAN TRENCH at 10.30pm, GUARDIAN TRENCH was heavily shelled until 11.15pm. 2nd Lt. E. A. COLLIS wounded.