1914-1918 First World War Centenary

17 October 2018

Alfred Bernard Holland was one of twins born on 24 November 1892, to Florence and Edward C Holland a clerk/accountant. The family lived in Wolverhampton and he had several siblings including Clara, Florence, Frank (his twin), Isabel and Jessie.

He attended the Harper Adams Certificate course from 9 May 1910, to 20 Jul 1912. His index card records that he passed the following exams in 1911: 2nd Class in Mensuration, Agriculture, Chemistry, Botany, Horticulture, Animal Parasites.

Like several of his contemporaries he may have emigrated to Canada to find work, which would explain his attachment with the 43rd Bn., Canadian Infantry (service number 420301). His death was contemporary with the Battle of Flers–Courcelette, which took place in September 2016 and involved Canadian troops.

He died on 20 September 1916 age 23 and is remembered with honour at the Vimy Memorial

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1569334/holland,-alfred-bernard/

The Vimy Memorial is Canada’s largest overseas National Memorial to remember Canadians who died in France and Belgium.

It commemorates more than 11,000 members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force killed during the First World War in France, who have no known grave.

https://www.cwgc.org/find/find-cemeteries-and-memorials/87900/vimy-memorial