Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Holmes, a foreman Great Northern railway platelayer, born 1858 in Freeby, Leicestershire and his wife Mary Holmes (nee Gamble, married in the 3rd quarter of 1882 in the Billesdon, Leicestershire district), born 1856 in Cold Newton, Leicestershire. Daniel was born on the 27th November 1898 in Cold Newton, his siblings were, William, a schoolboy, born 1890, Arthur, a schoolboy, born 1894, Edward, a schoolboy at Lowesby Church of England school, was born on the 16th September 1896, Fred, a schoolboy, born 1897 and Thomas, born 1898, all his siblings were born in Cold Newton, in March 1901 the family home was at High Field, Cold Newton. In April 1911 Daniel was a schoolboy attending the Lowesby Church of England school and working as a news boy and was residing in the family home at Cold Newton, together with his father, a foreman Great Northern railway platelayer, his mother and siblings, Fred, an agricultural labourer and Frank, born 1902 in Cold Newton, also residing with the family was Daniel’s widowed paternal grandmother, Harriett Holmes, born 1829 in Whissendine, Rutland. Daniel also had older siblings, Mary Jane, born 1883, Sarah Annie, born 1884 and John Henry, born 1886, all were born in Cold Newton. His elder brother Edward also fell.
Daniel attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War, with the Colours and in the Army Reserve) on the 2nd November 1916 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He gave his place of birth as Cold Newton, Billesdon, Leicestershire his age as 17 years and 352 days and his trade or calling as railway porter. He stated that he was unmarried. He gave his father William Holmes of Cold Newton, Leicestershire as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 10¼ inches in height, weighed 140 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 33 and 35½ inches. He gave his religion as Church of England. He was pronounced fit for the Army on the 31st January 1917 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Nottinghamshire & Derby Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) as a Private, service number 96937 upon mobilization in Leicester on the 1/11/17. Posted to the 4th Battalion Nottinghamshire and Derby Regiment on the 10/11/17. Embarked from Folkestone for Boulogne to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 29/3/18. Transferred to the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and allotted service number 41535 on the 1/4/18. Joined the 6th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment in the field on the 3/4/18. Killed in action on the 29/4/18. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 1/11/17 – 28/3/18. British Expeditionary Force, France, 29/3/18 – 29/4/18. The following information was provided by Daniel’s father W. Holmes on the 8th September 1919, and was witnessed and signed by H. V. Floyd, Clerk in Holy Orders, Tilton Vicarage, Leicestershire on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier, William Holmes of Cold Newton, Billesdon, Leicestershire. Mother of soldier, none. Full blood brothers of soldier, Arthur Holmes, age 25 and Fred Holmes, age 22, both of Cold Newton, Billesdon, Leicestershire. Full blood sisters of soldier, Mary -?-, age 36 of Grange Cottages, Wymondham, Oakham, Rutland and Annie Holmes, age 35 of Cold Newton, Billesdon, Leicestershire. Daniel’s surviving service documents are in a very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 29 Apr-18 - 4.00am. Heavy bombardment opened, gas shelling on Battalion HQ all lines down from Brigade to HQ and Companies. A Company 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGT. relieved our own in GHQ line 1. 10.10am. Officer Commanding D Company wires that right had given way and gone back beyond VOORMEZEELE. 10.00am. Officer Commanding A Company wires that his trenches were untenable and that he was side stepping right and left. 10.45am. A Company in GHQ line were heavily shelled throughout the day and had severe losses many men being buried. 2.30pm. Enemy attacked D Company who were holding IRON BRIDGE strong point, the enemy bombed up the canal and tried to envelope D Company right flank. When the situation became known at Battalion HQ. Artillery and machine gun fire, (both direct and indirect) was directed on to the canal between IRON BRIDGE and LOCK 8 and on to VOORMEZEELE, this materially assisted D Company in repelling the attack and the enemy were driven back with severe casualties by Lewis gun and rifle fire. At dusk the enemy attacked our right platoon near KRUISSES STRAAT HOER-VOORMEZEELE ROAD but were driven off with loss. Our losses 3 killed. Hostile artillery very active from 9.00am to 8.00pm, gas and high explosive shells being used. Four direct hits on Battalion HQ with 77mm shells. 10.00pm. 50 ROYAL ENGINEERS and 100 Pioneers arrived to dig switch trench posts between IRON BRIDGE and BELLEGOED FARM, these posts were dug and occupied by LT. CHART and 2 platoons. Our artillery engaged targets on ridge during the day causing casualties to the enemy near LOCK 8. Casualties during the day were other ranks killed 6, wounded 19, missing 1. Total 20.