Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthJuly 9, 1877
Place of BirthCoventry, Warwickshire
CountryEngland
Marital StatusMarried
Next of Kinwife - Ada Holland of Kenora, Ontario
Trade / Callingtinsmith
ReligionChurch of England
Service Details
Regimental Number198763
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion94th Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at EnlistmentKenora, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentJanuary 14, 1916
Age at Enlistment38
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathMarch 3, 1946
Age at Death68
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
Plot55E-31-4

Holland, Herbert Edward

Herbert Edward Holland, oldest son of Herbert and Kate Holland, was born on the 9th of July 1877 in Coventry, England. He was baptised in St. Michael’s Parish on 24 July 1877. His siblings included: Arthur Robert (b. 1878), Charles Mattocks (b. 1879), Ethel Kate (b. 1881), William Frederick (b. 1882), Ernest John (b. 1883) and Walter James (b. 1885). The Holland family left England, arriving in Halifax on the 05 April 1891. They traveled to Manitoba and settled on a farm in Bird’s Hill. In 1893 they moved to Rat Portage. Parents Herbert and Kate died within a year of each other (1896 & 1897) and fortunately a number of kind citizens of the town took the children in until they were old enough to find work and become independent. Herbert Edward worked for Jacob Hose in the hardware business.

On 01 November 1899 Herbert married Ada Black Donkin.   A son, Charles Edgar was born in 1900.   The family left Rat Portage in 1901 heading west to Carman and then Holland, Manitoba. Later Herbert established his own business in Wawanessa, Manitoba.   Four more children were born: Evelyn May in 1904, John Frederick in 1906, Winnifred Jean in 1908 and Ada Gertrude in 1909.

Herbert and his family returned to Kenora, Ontario in 1915 to take charge of the tin shop of Messiers Hose & Canniff. He was a music enthusiast and played in one of Kenora’s bands.

At age 39, on 14 January 1916, Herbert enlisted with the 94th battalion in Kenora. He became part of the band for this unit. His son, Charles, had enlisted in this same unit in December of 1915. On his attestation papers Herbert listed previous military experience of 3 years with the in 90th Winnipeg Rifles and 2 years with the 95th Algoma. While in Port Arthur with the 94th battalion Herbert was promoted to Corporal; however, he renounced this promotion so he could go overseas with his unit. He sailed from Halifax on the 28th of June 1916 on board the S.S. Olympic.

Once in England the 94th battalion was dispersed to other units and Herbert was transferred to the 32nd battalion and then the 5th battalion. On 26 August 1916 he landed in France and a month later he received a gunshot wound to his right thigh. He was shipped back to England and was admitted to the Military Hospital on Silver Street in Edmondon.   On 17 November 1916 Herbert was transferred to Woodcote Park Convalescence Hospital where he worked at recovery until discharge on 29 December 1916. At this point he still had partial loss of function of his right leg. In July of 1918 it was reported in the Kenora Miner & News that he had ‘made good recovery but was still a little lame’ and that he was a musketry instructor in England.

Herbert was ‘struck off strength’ on 05 April 1919 and sailed back to Canada on the S.S. Belgic landing in Halifax on 23 April 1919. He arrived home in Kenora on the 30 April 1919. He received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service.

He was employed by the Lake of the Woods Milling Company in Keewatin until 1921 when he was appointed Mining Recorder in Kenora. This job took him to Red Lake in 1926 and Sioux Lookout in 1932 where he took charge of the office in both places. Herbert retired in 1944 due to ill health.

During his lifetime he was an ardent member of the Masonic order, one of the first presidents of the Great War Veterans group and a staunch member of the Canadian Legion.

Herbert died in Kenora General Hospital on 03 March 1946 and is buried in Lake of the Woods Cemetery.

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Photos, letter, and other information provided by Bert’s granddaughter Lyn Stephens.


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