HOLDCROFT

		Source
		CWGC	SDGW	Uttoxeter Advertiser	Other
Parents	Joseph Peter Holdcroft and the late Sarah Holdcroft				1, 3
Where born	Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent				1
When born	17^th March 1894
Address	Parents: "Wavertree", Porthill, Stoke-on-Trent				1
Where educated	Thomas Alleyne’s Grammar Shcool, Uttoxeter			2	3 School War Memorial
Spouse
Children
Employment Before Joining up	Dental Student at Liverpool University				1
Where enlisted
Regiment	South Staffordshire		Yes	2	1, 3
Unit	2^nd Bn.		Yes		1, 3
Unit	Originally gazetted to 11^th Bn.				1, 3bi
Rank	2^nd Lieutenant		Yes		1, 3
Rank	Lieutenant			2
Service Number
Date of Death	29^th July 1916		Yes
Date of Death	28^th July 1916				1, 3
Age at time of death	22				1
Where Killed or died	Delville Wood, Somme				1
Where Killed or died	‘France’			1
How he died	Killed in Action		Yes	2	1, 3
Location of Grave or Memorial	Thiepval Memorial – Pier and Face 7B	Yes
Awards
Where commemorated	Thomas Alleyne’s School War Memorial				3 Seen it

He does not appear on the town’s war memorials, but he does appear on the war memorial on the wall of Thomas Alleyne’s School.

His nickname was 'Hokey' and he was a boarder for many years at Uttoxeter Grammar School. For over two years he was the 'Games Prefect' there. ^{[2 & 3]}

He passed his London Matriculation at the age of sixteen, and served his apprenticeship with Mr. E. T. Shields, surgeon-dentist, of Burslem, Staffordshire. ^[1] He then went on to study at the Dental Hospital and the University, Liverpool. ^[1] While he was at University he joined the Officers’ Training Corps. ^[1]

The British Roll of Honour ^[1] says that from the outbreak of war he had been most anxious to do his duty, and had he been a free agent would have joined the Army in any capacity. Therefore, when the opportunity came, “he spared neither time nor pains to fit himself as an efficient officer”; and early in 1915, he was gazetted to the 11th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment.

After training with this unit, he was attached to another Battalion of the Regiment in France. The British Roll of Honour ^[1] says the following:

“As thorough as he was unassuming and brave, he took up his new duties with energy and intelligence, his Colonel declaring that he was one of the most promising Officers he had ever known. With no thought for himself but all for his men, he won their trust and devotion, and they regarded him as a leader whom it was an honour and privilege to follow.”

The British Roll of Honour ^[1] says that this was a brief tribute, but eloquent in its brevity. It goes on to say, “No Officer could desire more than these words, uttered spontaneously by one of his own men.”

“He was killed while holding a support trench, during the terrible bombardment of Delville Wood. Many a brave man fell in that grim and desperate engagement, but none braver than he.”

"Lieutenant Holdcroft's Company was facing the worst ordeal troops can go through, and to be able to keep his men working under such conditions, aggravated by the paralysing heat and with little water available, is a high test of an Officer's character and qualities of command. . . I found him doing it with a cheeriness and disregard for himself which must have been invaluable to his Company. I am certain that his calm and cheerful bearing, and the way in which he kept his men at it, saved many other lives. His own he did not save, yet it was not lost, for he died as he would have wished to die, cheering his men and he died as bravely as any man could."

He was also described as ^[1] “A very promising Officer and a delightful companion his loss will be deeply felt by all who served with him.”