Robert James HOLDEN

Service number 172305

Born: July 3rd 1919
Died: September 18th 1945

He was born at Norbury, the second child of Everard Osborne Holden a bank director, and his wife, Josephine Agnes Paice of Alexandria, Egypt; Jerusalem, Palestine; and of The Mill House, Horsmonsden in Kent.

He was educated at Junior King’s from January 1930 and at the King’s School, Canterbury from September 1933 to July 1938, where he was in School House. He was a Scholar, a School Monitor and Hon Secretary of the Cantuarian and the Pater Society. He gained his 2nd XI colours for hockey and was a Warrant Officer on the Officer Training Corps. He Matriculated in 1938 and was up at Christ Church until 1940.

He joined the Royal Sussex Regiment as a Private and was sent for Officer Training. On February 18th 1941, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He was promoted to Captain in 1944 and was wounded in France. He was awarded the Military Cross which was announced in the London Gazette on the 19th of October 1944.

After recovering from his wounds, he was sent to 164th Infantry Officers Cadet Training Unit. On the 18th of September 1945, whilst loading explosive charges on to a truck, there was a sudden explosion which killed him, instantly.

He is buried in the churchyard of St. Margaret, Horsmonden. Kent.

With thanks to King’s School, Canterbury.