Harry's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Harry Holt was baptised at St Peter's Church, Windmill Street, Macclesfield on 27 May 1894, the eldest son of Maria and John Thomas Holt, a silk dyer of 68 Pitt Street, Macclesfield. In 1901, six-year-old Harry was living at the same address with his parents and younger brothers Tom (4) and Harold (1). By 1911 the family had moved to 37 Byron Street, Sutton, south Macclesfield and Harry was employed as a silk embroidery machine minder.
Harry married Bertha Beaumont at St George's Church, Sutton, south Macclesfield on 29 August 1915; the couple lived at 38 Heyes Yard, Macclesfield and later had a daughter, Nellie.
Bertha later moved to 18 Wardle Street, Macclesfield, and in late 1919, after Harry's death was confirmed, she married Sydney Potts at Hurdsfield Holy Trinity Church.
WW1 SERVICE
Harry enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment on 3 December 1915 and was drafted to France to join the 15th Bn. Cheshire Regiment on 26 July 1916.
Private Holt became ill on 12 November 1916 and was sent back to the hospital at Etaples. From there he was repatriated to England on 26 November 1916 on the ship Newhaven, and was admitted to Stoke on Trent War Hospital, London Road, Newcastle for seventeen days, suffering from disorderly action of the heart (D.A.H.) This illness was also known as soldier's heart and was most often the result of stress or fatigue rather than any disease of the heart.
Private Holt recovered from his illness and was reposted overseas on 3 March 1917, joining the 13th Cheshire Regiment on 27 March 1917. He was reported to be missing on 10 August 1917 and it was later assumed he had been killed in action on or soon after that date.
COMMEMORATION
Private Harry Holt has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel Ref. 19 - 22 on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private Harry Holt, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
In Macclesfield, Private Harry Holt is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall and St Michael's Church war memorials, and on St John's Church Roll of Honour.
SOURCES
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Lives of the First World War website
WWI Army Service Records.
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.