HOLLAND, Joseph

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        1st Canadian Infantry Division
                                             1st Infantry Brigade
                                             1st Battalion  -  Western Ontario Regiment
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   401328
DATE OF BIRTH:            May 5, 1887
                                             Bristol - England
DATE OF DEATH:           September 3, 1916               29 years     4 months     
MEMORIAL:                    Vimy Memorial – Vimy –
                                             Pas de Calais - France
MOTHER:                          Mrs. Jane Holland – Bedminister – Bristol - England
SISTERS:                           Mrs. Frank Bowden – Wingham – Ontario
                                             Mrs. Jane Holland – Southville – Bedminster- Bristol – England
                                             Mrs. Jane Pollard – Bedminster – Bristol - England
Occupation:                        Furniture Finisher                Religion:     Church of England
Enlistment:       Clinton – August 4, 1915 into the 33rd Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 28 years     3 months

Joseph had been a resident of Wingham for several years and had made his home with his sister Mrs. Frank Bowden and he was a member of St. Paul’s A. Y. P. A. and was also a soloist there. He was very popular with the young people in Wingham, who felt his loss keenly.
Private Holland departed Halifax and the S.S. Lapland arrived in Liverpool on March 26, 1916. On July 5th he transferred to the 1st Battalion and joined them in the field on July 23, 1916.
Private Holland had only been in the trenches a short period and was killed in action in Dot Trench while performing his duties with his Brigade during a bombardment.
The Battalion was located at Pozieres and on September 3rd the weather was fine and warm.
The enemy artillery brought down a violent and severe bombardment on the Battalion right and the Brigade artillery brought down their own bombardment behind the enemy front line trenches. The enemy then replied onto the Battalion support and rear lines. Brigade snipers were very active and successful. The enemy had working parties out and the Battalion lobbed rigle grenades at them. The Lewis guns and machine guns were very active. The enemy seemed to be nervous and were using many flares.