Walter Cluny Stewart Holland
Personal History
Walter Cluny Stewart Holland must have been a long time resident of Port Dalhousie before a powerful allegiance pulled him away in the summer of 1914. By that time he was already 42 years of age. His name first comes up in 1904 when he was initiated into Seymour Masonic Lodge #277. He became a full member the following year. In 1911 he lived on Front St. and identified himself as a 'Lodger' to the census taker. In 1912 he was the Worshipful Master of the Lodge. The last meeting he attended was June 3, 1914, so he must have enlisted soon after the declaration of war, to become the only officer from the town - a Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Western Ontario Regiment.
In early May of 1917, the 1st Battalion was actively attacking German trenches in the Willerval area and the Arleux Loop just beyond Vimy in preparation for the capture of Fresnoy. "The Canadian attack of 3 May was in effect a continuation of the successful assault on the Arleux Loop five days before. Principle target was the hamlet of Fresnoy, which lay, it's red-roofed houses little damaged by war, in a slight depression beside the Drocourt Road.......While the 2nd Battalion attacked the village itself, the 1st and 3rd Battalions went respectively against the woods on the left and right......The loss of Arleux had alerted the Germans to the probability of a further attack. In the bright moonlight they detected the Canadians approaching across the open plain from Arleux and began heavily shelling the assembly areas of both brigades. In spite of some confusion and casualties the attack opened on schedule."1 The fighting continued throughout the night and by 6 am the 2nd and 3rd Battalions had reached their objectives 250 yards east of Fresnoy.
"In the meantime the 1st Battalion, astride the Drocourt Road, had reached it's goal without meeting heavy opposition. Well dug in, the battalions around Fresnoy hung on to their gains under heavy German shelling that continued all day."2 The 1st was then relieved and withdrawn from the front.
As the attached page from the War Dairy notes, under the entry for May 4, Lieutenant Holland was killed in action some time during the attack. The next page from the Battalion Diary records his burial at Ecoivres Military Cemetery. See the photo below. The page also notes the visit, the next day of General Currie, who would become the Commander in Chief of the Canadian Army in a few weeks time, and a few days later, General Byng, the architect of Vimy Ridge and present Commander. After almost 3 years of service it is not hard to imagine the pride that an old soldier would have taken in meeting the two pre-eminent men in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
1 - Nicholson, Col. GWL CEF 1914-1918
2 - Ibid.
Personal Information
Birth date: 1872
Birthplace:
Parents: Son of the Rev. Stewart and Mary Holland, of Bury St. Edmund's, England. Brother of Herbert.
Occupation: Electrician
Census of Canada Details: 1901 1911
Military Information
Service Number:
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment: 1st Battalion, Western Ontario Regiment
Theater of Service:
Date of Death: May 4, 1917
Last Battle: Fresnoy-en-Gohelle
Burial Details: Ecoivres Military Cemetery, Mt. St. Eloi, France
Grave Reference: VI.H.12
Other Details
Commemorations: Commemorated on Page 257 in the Book of Remembrance
Photos:
Cenotaph
Articles: Diary Entry - Diary – 1st Battalion, CEF War Diary entry from May 4, 1917.