Gnr John Joseph Holt MM – 1090554
4 July 1920 – 11 April 2016
John Joseph Holt (born Joseph Burrow) was born in Great Harwood, Lancashire. John was adopted by Mary Charlotte Holt.
Mary had been married to John William Holt and had two children who died at a young age. Tragedy would strike again in May 1918 when John William Holt was serving on board the SS Ausonia as an Engineers Steward. While travelling from Liverpool to New York with a crew of 140 carrying general cargo, the SS Ausonia was struck by a German torpedo from SM U-62, some 700 miles south west of Ireland. The vessel sank and 44 of the ships crew including John either drowned, died of wounds or of thirst.
A local Vicar, knowing that Mary had lost two children of her own and owned her own shop suggested that she adopt little Joseph. She did and changed his name to John Joseph Holt.
In 1939, John was listed as living at 116 New Henderson Street, Liverpool with his adoptive mother Mary and their occupations’ were both listed as “Shop Keeper”.
John joined the Army on 17 October 1940 serving with the 9th Field Training Regiment Royal Artillery before joining 111th Field Regiment Royal Artillery on 15 September 1941.
John travelled with the 111th Field Regiment to Egypt in June 1942 and was present with the unit throughout the war.
Whilst in Tunisia in April 1943, John was involved in an action for which he would be awarded the Military Medal. The commendation for the medal read as follows:
“On the advance North, between Oudref and Triaga, on Thursday 8 April 1943, Gunner Holt was severely burnt about the face and hands when the gun tractor in which he was travelling was set on fire by shelling from enemy Armoured Fighting Vehicles, and subsequently evacuated to hospital as a result of his burns.
When his tractor was fired by the enemy shell fire, in spite of his burns, he assisted Lieutenant Owen and Gunner Goodram to get one gun into action, which fired six rounds at the enemy tanks before they finally withdrew”.
Following the war, John left the 111th Field Regiment in November 1945. He would soon marry and moved to British Columbia, Canada where he would spend the rest of his life.
John’s Granddaughter Christie said “….”
