The 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles - ElectricCanadian.com

84 4ra CANADIAN MOUNTED RIFLESEmpire can bestow the Victoria Cross. Private T. W.Holmes, a frail, delicate youth with a contagious smilewas recommended for and received this coveted award.The action for which he was recommended was officiallyworded as follows:For great valour and bravery during the action of October 26th,1917, near Passchendaele. When his Company was within fifty yardsof a pill-box and was held up and forced to take cover by two machinegunsmounted nearby and by rifle fire, he, on his own initiative, andsingle-handed, ran forward and threw a bomb, killing the crew and putting the guns out of action. He then returned to his companions,secured another bomb and again under heavy fire ran forward aloneand threw the bomb into the entrance causing the nineteen occupantsto surrender.While this concise description is sufficient for the time,disposition and ultimate effect of the deed, it should beamplified by personal reminiscences of the men who sawit. "A"Company, which had followed "D"Companyinto the attack on the right, had overtaken the leadingCompany and both were intermingled and advancingtogether when held up by a pill-box manned by twomachine-gun crews and reinforced by some twenty menwithin the pill-box. Not only was half the Battalion heldWhileup but also part of the 9th Brigade on the right.the men were taking cover in shell holes, Private Holmes,on his own initiative, before those around him realized what he was about to do rushed forward and tosseda bomb so accurately into the trench of the machineguncrew that they and their guns were put out ofaction. He then returned to his companions for morebombs, which by this time were getting scarce, but hesucceeded in getting one from Private Dunphy. Againhe dashed forward, this time going directly up to thepill-box and threw his bomb into the entrance, whereit exploded; those who were not killed or woundedcame out and surrendered. Major Scott saw PrivateHolmes go forward but did not know who he was. Hesent Private Hawley to find out Private Holmes s nameso that he could recommend him for his bravery, butbefore he got back with the information, Major Scott waskilled. Fortunately there were others who saw him andwho also were anxious to have his courageous feat