2nd Lieutenant Cyril Ernest Jackson Holmes
2/5th East Lancashire Regiment, attchd. 5th. Liverpool Rgt.
Killed in Action 24th June 1917 in France, aged 26
Lived at 17 Palatine Square
Buried at Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery France - VII.B.15.
Commemorated on the Burnley Grammar School Memorial
Commemorated on the Holy Trinity Memorial
Burnley News 30th June 1917 - 30th June 1917 - 4th July 1917 - 4th July 1917

BURNLEY SOLICITOR SECOND-LIEUT. HOLMES KILLED BY A SHELL STRIKING TRIBUTE TO A GALLANT OFFICER (Burnley News 30/06/1917)

A man with a type of character which can ill be spared has paid the supreme sacrifice in the person of Second-Lieut. C. E. J. Holmes, only son of Mr. H.J.E. Holmes, 17 Palatine Square, Burnley, head of the firm of Messrs. Holmes and Holmes, solicitors, Grimshaw-st. Mr. Holmes is a widower, and the oldest practising solicitor in the town. He is the composer of the well known hymn tune “ Pater ?????” On Wednesday afternoon he received the news that his son had fallen in action. The sad intelligence was contained in the following telegram from the Record Office, Preston :-
“ I regret to inform you War Office reports 2nd-Lieutenant C.E.J. Holmes, 5th East Lancashire Regiment, attached 5th Liverpools, was killed in action June 24th . The Secretary of State for War expresses his sympathy.”
On Thursday morning Mr. Holmes received the appended letter, dated June 24th, and written from the trenches by the captain of the deceased officer’s company:-
“It is with feelings of the very deepest regret that I have to write and tell you of the death of your son, who has been one of my subalterns ever since I took command of the company. In the early hours of this morning we were heavily bombarded by the enemy, who intended attacking us. Your son, who was in charge of the front line at the time was running from bay to bay seeing that everyone was in his place and that the Lewis guns were all in order, when he was hit by a shell and killed instantly. He died thinking of nothing but his duty. His death is a very great loss to this company, and a personal loss to myself. Out here a company commander gets to know his subalterns very well and your son was one who thought of nothing but his duty, and, however tired and fed up he felt, would always volunteer to take on some duty. It was only three days ago that he obtained some very important information for me from the enemy line which had very much pleased the commanding officer. I understand your son is to be buried tomorrow, and I shall attend his funeral, after which I will write to you again. If there are any further particulars you would like I hope you will write to me. Again assuring you my deepest sympathy, I am yours sincerely, W. Hunnybun, Capt.”
Lieut. Cyril Ernest Jackson Holmes was 26 years of age and , and a partner in the firm of Messrs. Holmes and Holmes. He was educated at the Burnley Grammar School, and was afterwards articled with his father. He passed his final examination 19 months ago, a fortnight before receiving his commission. He went abroad last February. He was a sidesman at Holy Trinity Church. Before joining the Army he served as a special constable. His death is a distinct blow to the young citizenship of Burnley. He was a young man of sound ideals and deep moral sense. His disposition was quite and studious, and his modest, kindly manner gained him the esteem of all with whom he came in contact. In his letters home he frequently expressed the highest admiration of the courage and enthusiasm of the men under him. Only on Wednesday morning his father received from him a letter commenced on the 21st inst. And finished on the 22nd, with which was enclosed the photo of the officer whose communication we have quoted. In the course of this letter it was stated :-
“I think you at home over-estimate our hardships, although I suppose we are in constant danger, and it is sometimes wonderful how a piece of shrapnel, &c, misses one. We always remember, however, that a miss is as good as a mile, and it is pure ill-luck if you are hit. It is a positive fact that the fellows are much more interested in watching where the shells fall than thinking of running away.”
Much sympathy will be felt for Mr. Holmes and his only daughter. Second-Lieut. Holmes is the second Burnley solicitor to have been killed in action, the other being Capt. J.C. Robinson.