Chief Petty Officer Francis John Holmes
HMS. Challenger,
Royal Navy, 132549
Died in Military Service
Date of Birth: 14 February 1869
Place of Birth: North Camp, Aldershot
Date of Death: 14th March, 1915 in the Cameroons, aged 46
Buried: Douala Cemetery, Cameroon, West Africa
Awarded the 1914 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal
Chief Petty Officer Francis John Holmes, age 46.
Born 1869 in Aldershot and baptised on 14 February 1869 at North Camp, Aldershot, the son of John, a sergeant in 98th Regiment and Elizabeth from Plymouth.
On the1881 census he was shown with his parents and siblings at 18 Looe Street, Plymouth.
1891 showed him with his family at Exeter Street, Plymouth and serving in the Royal Navy. By 1901 he was married and living in Exeter Street, his wife was a shopkeeper. His wife, Elizabeth, was later shown at 7 Grove Crescent, Teignmouth.
Francis had a long term service record in the Royal Navy, service number 132549. As part of the naval reserve during the war he was serving with the Royal Fleet Reserve, Devonport, and took part in the Cameroons Campaign on HMS Challenger, RN.
Having been discharged to hospital on 13 March 1915, Francis' death from disease was reported on 14 March 1915.
His funeral took place on 15 March when he was buried in Douala Cemetery, Cameroons, West Africa.
Grave Inscription reads: “Ever Remembered By His Loving Wife And Children Death Is The Gate Of Life”.
HMS Challenger
A light cruiser built in 1902, she was commissioned on 30 May 1904 and began duty on the Australia Station. She went into reserve on 10 October 1912.
She returned to England and was recommissioned in the 9th Cruiser Squadron in August 1914.
HMS Challenger in heavy weather in 1910 before she was recommissioned in WW1.
Australian War Memorial A.N. 302334
HMS Challenger captured the German steamer Ulla Boog at the entrance to Bristol Channel. Then went out to West Africa for Cameroons operations in September 1914.
She was part of a group of British warships that fought in the Battle of Rufiji Delta (October 1914 – 11 July 1915) against the German Navy's light cruiser SMS Königsberg.
Francis died on the 14th March, 1915 aged 26.
