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William Henry Holliday (1891-)


Grocer from East Hedleyhope served in the Royal Naval Air Service


William Henry Holliday’s service record shows he was born on 13 May 1891 in East Hedleyhope. It is difficult to identify his parents with certainty from that information. At the time of the 1901 census he was living in East Hedleyhope in a household consisting of his grandmother, an uncle and two aunts. At the 1911 census he was still living with his uncle and aunts and now at 8 Smith Street, Tow Law. The 1911 census shows his occupation as grocer’s assistant.

William joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) on 26 June 1917 to serve for the duration of the war. His civilian occupation is noted as grocer which perhaps influenced the trade allotted to him in the RNAS, which was storeman. He was given the service number F31858 and the rank of aircraftman second grade.

William spent his first two days in service at Crystal Palace and was then posted to East Fortune, Scotland where he spent the rest of the war. He was promoted to aircraftman first grade on 26 December 1917 after 6 months service in the RNAS. Like most RNAS men William transferred to the RAF on 1 April 1918 when it was formed by joining the RNAS and Royal Flying Corps into a single air service. His service number was updated to 231858 and he was given an equivalent rank of clerk second class.

William left the RAF via the Edinburgh Dispersal Camp on 22 January 1919 and was transferred to the RAF G Reserve on 21 February 1919 after one month’s leave. He was deemed fully discharged from active service with effect from 30 April 1920.

In 1914 William had married Nancy Evelyn Smith (1897) a colliery mason’s daughter from Crook. She worked as a draper’s assistant. Her name and address is given as next of kin on his RAF record and was at 3 Holly Avenue, Wellfield, Earsdon, Northumberland. Nothing can be said with any certainty about William’s movements and life after he left the RAF.

William Henry Holliday was awarded the British War Medal for his service during the First World War.

Civil Parish: Hedleyhope

Birth date: 13-May-1891

Armed force/civilian: Navy

Residence: East Hedleyhope (1891 birth)
8 Smith Street, Tow Law (1911 census)
3 Holly Avenue, Wellfield, Earsdon, Northumberland (1919 RAF service record)

Employment: Grocer’s Assistant (1911 census)
Grocer (1917 RNAS service record)

Family: Wife: Nancy Evelyn Holliday nee Smith (1897)
Grandparent: Mary Shield
Uncle: John William Shield
Aunts: Mary Jane Shield, Henrietta Shield

Military service:

F31858
Aircraftman second grade, 26 June 1917
Crystal Palace, 1917
East Fortune, 1917-18
Aircraftman first grade, 26 December 1917
Transferred to RAF, 1 April 1918
231858
Clerk second class
East Fortune, 1918-19
Deemed discharged, 30 April 1919

Medal(s): British War Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by David D, Stanley, Co Durham

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