Private Stewart Lawrence Holmes

Stewart Lawrence “Buster” Holmes was born at St-Anicet, Quebec, on 18 July 1923, the son of Lawrence and Mary Holmes. He grew up on a farm, worked in mixed farming and enlisted in the Canadian Army at Montreal South on 7 December 1942. After training at Sorel and Farnham, he sailed to Britain in May 1943 and served with the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa and reinforcement units. He landed in France in August 1944 and joined the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada in January 1945. A rifleman and Bren gunner in action, he was wounded by a mortar fragment on 5 April 1945, suffering a superficial forehead wound that healed after hospital treatment. He rejoined the Black Watch in May and returned to Canada that November. Discharged as a Private on 29 January 1946, he planned to return to farm work and seek Veterans’ Land Act assistance for his own mixed farm. His awards included the France and Germany Star and four other campaign medals. He died at Huntingdon County Hospital on 16 July 1997, aged 73, shortly before his 74 th birthday. His obituary named his sister Geraldine, brother Roy and Roy’s wife Lila, and noted that his older brother John had predeceased him. A memorial mass and subsequent cemetery burial were announced for 9 August.

1923-07-18 — Born, son of Lawrence and Mary Holmes, at St-Anicet, Quebec.
1938–1941 — Worked on father’s mixed farm in St-Anicet, Quebec.
1941–1942 — Farm hand for A. Robb in Huntingdon, Quebec.
1942-09 — Reported fall with two fractured ribs; pre-service history of Stewart Lawrence Holmes.
1942-11-26 — Entrance examination fit category A; 68½ inches, 140 pounds, chest 33 inches, expansion 2 inches, at Montreal, Quebec.
1942-12-07 — Active General Service attestation, single Roman Catholic farmer, no prior military service; Private D138181 TOS No.4 District Depot at Montreal South, Quebec.
1942-12-08 — Personnel assessment recommended rifleman; farm/driving experience; English language, at Montreal South, Quebec.
1942-12-09 — Family/dependant and occupational questionnaire signed, no dependants/insurance; will executed; dental examination and vaccination/inoculation, at No. 4 District Depot.
1942-12-18 — SOS No.4 District Depot to training at Sorel, Quebec.
1942-12-19 — TOS Private at No. 45 Basic Training Centre, Sorel, Quebec.
1942-12-28 to 1943-01-02 — Leave with subsistence allowance while with No. 45 Basic Training Centre.
1943-01-14 — Inoculation recorded for Stewart Lawrence Holmes.
1943-02-05 — Inoculation recorded for Stewart Lawrence Holmes.
1943-02-23 — SOS No.45 Basic Training Centre for A12, Farnham, Quebec.
1943-02-24 — TOS on temporary attachment at A12, Farnham, Quebec.
1943-04-07 — Pay entitlement $1.40 daily after four months’ service with A12, Farnham, Quebec.
1943-04-28 — Re-examination category A, enlarged right inguinal ring noted, with A12, Farnham, Quebec.
1943-04-30 — MP Donald E. Black sought agricultural leave to help Alex Robb’s 200-acre dairy farm and seeding at Huntingdon, Quebec.
1943-05-04 to 1943-05-06 — Special embarkation leave with ration allowance, from A12, Farnham, Quebec.
1943-05-12 — SOS A12 proceeding to 5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit.
1943-05-13 — Embarked from Canada.
1943-05-14 — Administrative TOS overseas, destined for United Kingdom.
1943-05-19 — Agricultural leave application not considered because already on overseas draft; correspondence at Montreal, Quebec.
1943-05-22 — Disembarked in United Kingdom.
1943-05-23 — TOS Private at 5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit, United Kingdom.
1943-05-27 — Interview recommended rifleman/general duties; said called and went Active at once; with 5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit.
1943-06-07 — Regimental pay rate $1.50 daily authorized for 3 Canadian Division Support Battalion.
1943-06-18 — TOS support formation recorded as 8 Canadian Infantry Brigade Support Group / 3 Canadian Division Support Battalion, associated with Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, United Kingdom.
1944-03-25 — SOS Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa for 6 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit, United Kingdom.
1944-03-26 — TOS Private at 6 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit, United Kingdom.
1944-04-10 — Admitted with left quinsy/tonsillitis and cervical adenitis; abscess drained at No. 2 Canadian General Hospital, Bramshott, England.
1944-04-20 — Discharged to duty, unchanged category; ENT review to consider tonsillectomy recommended, from No. 2 Canadian General Hospital, Bramshott, England.
1944-04-21 — TOS from hospital list at 6 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit.
1944-05 — Series of dental restorations with 6 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit, United Kingdom.
1944-08-10 — SOS 6 CIRU to X4 Canadian Infantry Corps in United Kingdom.
1944-08-11 — Embarked from United Kingdom.
1944-08-12 — Disembarked in France.
1944-08-13 — TOS X4 reinforcement list, CH of O, in France.
1944-11-09 — Transferred from X4 (10 Battalion) to X5 reinforcement holding under 21 Army Group.
1944-12-02 — SOS X5 to X4 Canadian Infantry Corps reinforcement holding under 21 Army Group.
1944-12-03 — TOS X4 (11 Battalion), Infantry General Unallotted, under 21 Army Group.
1945-01-30 — SOS X4 Infantry General Unallotted to Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.
1945-01-31 — TOS Private with Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.
1945-03-10 — Appointed acting Lance Corporal with Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.
1945-03-11 — Reversion to Private at own request recorded; another summary retains Lance Corporal; with Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.
1945-04-05 — Wounded in action about 0745, superficial mortar-fragment forehead/scalp wound; enemy-action walking casualty; evacuated 11 Field Ambulance and 2 CCS to 1 CGH; wound excised and closed with 3 sutures, dura/brain intact, while with Black Watch, North-West Europe.
1945-04-08 — Transferred from 1 CGH for same forehead wound to No. 29 British General Hospital.
1945-04-10 — Mother Mary Holmes notified wounded; telegram delivered 1800 at 29 Wellington Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-04-14 — Mother notified superficial forehead wound; delivery 1900 at 29 Wellington Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-04-20 — Discharged after forehead wound healed, from No. 29 British General Hospital.
1945-04-21 — Returned to X4 reinforcement holding, later rejoining Black Watch.
1945-05-17 — SOS reinforcement list to Black Watch.
1945-05-18 — TOS from X4 with Black Watch.
1945-06-08 — Dental restoration recorded with Black Watch.
1945-07-18 — Blood specimen collected in field; Kahn result negative 20 July, for Stewart Lawrence Holmes.
1945-07-27 — Rehabilitation follow-up: wished to farm and seek Veterans’ Land Act assistance; considered promising, with Black Watch.
1945-08 — Privilege leave in United Kingdom.
1945-08-31 — Returned from privilege leave with Black Watch.
1945-09-27 — Embarked North-West Europe and disembarked in United Kingdom.
1945-09-28 — Attached to No. 9 Canadian Repatriation Depot, United Kingdom.
1945-09-30 to 1945-10-09 — Privilege leave with meal allowance in United Kingdom.
1945-10-22 — Seven days’ privilege leave in United Kingdom.
1945-11 — Further seven days’ privilege leave; 2/4 November variants in United Kingdom.
1945-11-14 — SOS overseas/ceased depot attachment, ending certified overseas service, in United Kingdom.
1945-11-20 — Reported and TOS Private at No. 4 District Depot, Montreal South, Quebec.
1945-11-20 to 1946-01-06 — Leave and ration allowance from No. 4 District Depot.
1945-12-03 — Post-overseas examination recorded no abnormality detected at Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-01-14 — Release medical/dental examination, urinary complaints under investigation, chest film negative, at Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-01-18 — Referred for urinary discomfort investigation from No. 4 District Depot.
1946-01-21 — Admitted for genitourinary investigation at Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-01-23 — Cystoscopy, ureter catheterization and retrograde pyelography revealed no pathology at Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-01-28 — Discharged to duty, final diagnosis no urological disease, from Montreal Military Hospital, Montreal, Quebec.
1946-01-29 — Final fitness profile all 1; discharged Private on demobilization; badge 726305, clothing allowance$100 and 30 days rank pay; counselling farming plan and VLA referrals, at No. 4 District Depot, Montreal South, Quebec.
1946-02-08 — Will executed 9 December 1942 returned with civilian validity advice to 29 Wellington Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1946-02-16 — Gratuity:1150 qualifying days, 916 overseas; $610.36 gross less$44.89 overpayment= $565.47 net, seven$80.78 instalments; address 29 Wellington Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1949-05-20 — Postwar stomach symptoms assessed as possible duodenal ulcer; identity variants qualify attribution, at Montreal, Quebec.
1949-06-03 — Barium study found no active gastric/duodenal ulcer at QMVH, Montreal, Quebec.
1949-10-15 — Medal-request envelope postmarked Huntingdon, Quebec.
1949-11-17 — Five campaign medals dispatched; awards record of Stewart Lawrence Holmes.
1953-09-15 — Furniture purchase credit$195.99 authorized jointly with Marchand Freres for 29 Wellington Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1954-05-21 — Furniture purchase credit$45.80 authorized for 29 Wellington Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1965-02-23 — Household-effects credit$200 payable Marchand Freres authorized for 29 Wellington Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1986-07-21 — Pension advocate requested service documents for Stewart Lawrence Holmes.
1997-07-16 — Died two days before 74 th birthday at Huntingdon County Hospital.
1997-07-25 — Last Post Fund requested service verification for Stewart Lawrence Holmes.
1997-08-06 — Official service verification supplied; honours Nil conflicts with contemporary awards record of Stewart Lawrence Holmes.
1997-08-09 — Memorial mass 10 am announced, burial to follow St-Joseph’s Cemetery, arrangements Kelly Funeral Home; church St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.