Emmanuel Ripley Holey

War Service

Enlisted as a Private (Service number L/12296 9th (Royal) Lancers Corps of Lancers.
In August 1914 they were based at Tidworth as part of 2nd Cavalry Brigade in Cavalry Division. Cavalry men were affectionately known as “Donkey Wallopers” by the rest of the army. Moved to France in September 1914 and remained in combat almost throughout the year.
The 9th Lancers, like most cavalry regiments, were dismounted during the main period of trench warfare from early 1915 onwards. But did take part in cavalry charges in 1914 during which they suffered severe losses.
On 16th September 1914: Cavalry Division renamed as 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Brigade.
Emmanuel probably joined the corps in the ‘theatre of war’ sometime after 1915 as his medal entitlement did not include the 1914 or 15 Star. It is possible, however, that he partook in some or many of the following actions in which the 1st Cavalry Division were involved.
1916
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette (a phase of the Battles of the Somme 1916)
1917
The First Battle of the Scarpe (9 - 12 April, a phase of the Arras Offensive)
The Tank Attack (20 - 21 November, a phase of the Cambrai Operations)
The capture of Bourlon Wood (24 - 26 November, a phase of the Cambrai Operations)
The German counterattacks (30 November - 3 December, a phase of the Cambrai Operations)
1918
The Battle of St Quentin (21 -23 March, a phase of the of the First Battles of the Somme in which the Division was engaged until 1 April)
On 24 March 1918 each brigade and the machine gun squadron furnished a regiment to be constituted as a "Dismounted Division". These units returned to 1st Cavalry Division two days later.
The Battle of Bapaume (24 - 25 March, a phase of the of the First Battles of the Somme)
The Battle of Rosieres (26 - 27 March, a phase of the of the First Battles of the Somme)
The Battle of Amiens (8 - 10 August)
The Battle of Albert (21 August, a phase of the Second Battles of the Somme 1918)
The Battle of Cambrai 1918 (8 October, a phase of the Battles of the Hindenburg Line)
The Pursuit to the Selle (9 - 12 October)
The Final Advance in Picardy (17 October - 6 November) and in Artois (7 - 11 November)
The Division was selected to advance into Germany as an advance screen for Second Army and form part of the Occupation Force. The move began on 17 November, and brigades reached the Rhine at Cologne and Bonn on 12 December.

Family Life

Having survived the conflict, on 26th December 1919 he married Harriet Cook in Brotherton Parish Church. By then Emmanuel was employed as a ‘Coalminer’. Harriet came from an established Brotherton family, her father being a bricklayer and living in Nancy Taylor Yard which ran between the High Street and the North Road (A1).
Emmanuel died during the second quarter of 1961 – registered in Pontefract.