Stumped.. where do I find service records..

[Lesanne]

Help please to find records of Corporal Richard Charles Holmes 2322 7th Royal Sussex.
Awarded Belgian Croix de Guerre, Ypres, October 1917.

His next of kin would be great...

This link gave information that just doesn't seem to come up with him in census etc...
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PT8RBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT328&lpg=PT328&dq=richard%20charles%20holmes%20sussex%20regiment&source=bl&ots=CAq6boQ1oq&sig=NK2tgkfIA7OBaU1yt-v4CL6fs04&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiX2eur89zXAhVGDsAKHfBUDf0Q6AEIXzAM#v=onepage&q=richard%20charles%20holmes%20sussex%20regiment&f=false

sorry abt the huge link

TIA
Lesanne

[jds1949]

There is a Richard C. Holmes born 1882 living at Hove in the 1939 Register - however I don't have access to this. Suggest you try your local library as many do have subscriptions to Find My Past who have this information.

jds1949

[CaroleW]

There is MRI entry showing he was awarded the British & Victory medals.  No theatre of war shown and his reg number was SD2322

No birth reg to support a birth in Harwich 1882

[Lesanne]

Thank you for replies.

Yes, the 1939 Hove has a Richard C Holmes. Lily Holmes poss wife b 1894.

There is a marriage in Steyning 1912 with a Lucy Cooper, but I cannot find him anywhere in census.

Thank you

[MaxD]

His medal roll entry shows he served first with 12th Battalion Royal Sussex who went to France in 1916 and with 9th Battalion as well as 7th Battalion.
His Croix de Guerre was gazetted 12 July 1918, one of 1137 men of the British forces honoured in that list.  His residence is given as Shoreham by Sea.
The book implies he went to France with the 7th Battalion but they went in 1915 and he has no 1914-15 Star.  The Ypres reference is also strange.  The 7th Battalion were in the area of Arras, 50 or so km south of Ypres in Oct 17, they were in the line about 4 days and there is no mention of any action that suggest his award was related to this period.  One wonders whether they have the battalion or the time period wrong?  I'll have a look at the other battalions later.
Unfortunately his service record would appear to be among those lost in the WW2 bombing so I'm not sure of finding answers. 

MaxD

[Christine53]

There are several Holmes , mmn Cooper , births registered in Steyning :

Lucy M 1917
Esther L L 1916
Richard F J J 1912
Charles D A 1913
Gwendolin L M 1914
Kathleen M 1915

Some of these names  may in with the 1939 entry mentioned.

[jim1]

Attested in the 12 Batt. At some point transferred to the 9th. & finally the 7th.
The SD prefix indicates a Reservist (South Down) this would imply the 12th.
OK I see MaxD beat me to it.
I notice the 9th. Batt. were on the Ypres Salient 1917.

[Lesanne]

Some wonderful replies so far. Thank you

[CaroleW]

sorry abt the huge link

You can use the "Shrink link" at the bottom of this page.  Copy and paste the large link and it gives you this

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01l41/

There is a death in 1953 in Hove for a Richard W C L Holmes aged 70 but can't find a birth with all those initials