Home  |   The Great War  |   Second World War  |   Other Conflicts  |   Useful Links  |   Contact Us

 

2nd Lieutenant David HOLBECH
18th (Service) Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps (Arts and Crafts) Date of birth: 9th September 1897 Date of death: 8th April 1917 Killed in action aged 19 Buried at Dickebusch New Military Cemetery Row C Grave 37
David Holbech was born at Farnborough in Oxfordshire on the 9th of September 1897 the third and youngest son of the Reverend Hugh Holbech Rector of Bredon in Tewkesbury and Canon of Coventry and Ada (nee Lloyd) Holbech of Bredon Rectory and later of Kineton in Warwickshire. He was educated at Lancing College where he was in News House from January 1911 and in Fields House from 1912 to December 1915. He was appointed as a House Captain and as a Prefect in September 1915 and served in the Officer Training Corps from January 1911 where he rose to the rank of Lance Corporal. While still at school he applied for a commission in the army on the 14th of November 1915, in an application which was supported by Mr. Adam Fox, a House Master at Lancing College. On leaving school he enlisted into the army at Lichfield as Private R/30532 in the King's Royal Rifle Corps on the 9th of March 1916. At a medical examination, which was held on the same day, it was recorded that he was five feet eleven and a half inches tall. He was posted to No.8 Cadet Battalion Officer Training Corps at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield on the 13th of March and, on completion of his training, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the 4th of November 1916. He went to France the following month where he joined the 18th Battalion of his regiment in the field at Chippewa Camp, near Ypres on the 26th of December 1916. On the 5th of April 1917 the 18th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps relieved the 23rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment in trenches at St Eloi near Hollebeke in the Ypres Salient. On the 7th of April they undertook a dummy raid against five craters which were in front of their positions. At 10.09pm that night the Germans blew a large camouflet which destroyed 150 yards of the British front line causing seven casualties. The following day, Easter Sunday, David Holbech was shot and killed by a sniper. The battalion was relieved on the 12th of April by the 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. His father received the following telegram dated the 12th of April 1917: - "Deeply regret to inform you 2/Lt. D. Holbech King's Royal Rifle Corps was killed in action April eighth. The Army Council express their sympathy." His Commanding Officer wrote:- “He was a most promising and keen young officer and until a few days ago had temporary command of a company. During that period I was much impressed with his military qualities, both as regards knowledge and power of command. He was beloved by both officers and men for his fine character and genial nature.” The King's Royal Rifle Corps Chronicle said the following:- "Like his forbears, David Holbech was a fine type of officer and at an early age had developed powers of leadership and command above the average. His fine character endeared him alike to officers and men, and the fact that he fell by a snipers bullet only makes his loss harder to bear". He is mentioned on the list of Tewkesbury war dead but is not listed on a memorial there. His father applied for his medals in July 1920.

Fields House