The AIF Project

James HOLDEN

Regimental number1162
Place of birthEdinburgh, Scotland
SchoolSidcol (Quaker)School, England
Age on arrival in Australia19
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationTrain guard
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation22
Height5' 7.5"
Weight143 lbs
Next of kinMrs G B Holden, 14 Valley Bridge Parade, Scarborough
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date25 September 1914
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll23 September 1914
Place of enlistmentSydney, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll1st Battalion
FateKilled in Action 6 August 1915
Place of death or woundingGallipoli, Turkey
Date of death7 August 1915
Age at death23
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 14), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
29
Family/military connectionsBrother: Charles 7th Light Horse distinguished himself by getting knocked out with a bullet in his chest and his left arm shattered in his first engagement which was against the Turks at El Arish, Egypt.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 5 April 1915.

Reported wounded and missing, Gallipoli, 6-9 August 1915.

Court of Inquiry held in the field, 5 June 1916, pronounced fate as 'killed in action, Gallipoli, 6-9 August 1915'.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, HOLDEN James

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