Ira William Holdsworth

Warrant Officer Class 2

Conflict:

WW1

Additional Information:

Son of Abraham and Hannah Holdsworth (nee Smith); husband of Clara Holdsworth, of 344, Mount Eden Rd., Auckland. Born at Bradford, Yorks., England. Served in Egypt and on the Western Front.

References:

CWGC

Archives New Zealand

NZ WAR GRAVES

Biographical Notes:

Ira Holdsworth was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, UK and was living in Wellington at the time of his enlistment. Departing for Suez on the 9th October, 1915, with the rank of Sergeant, he served in Egypt and on the Western Front with the Field Artillery.

Injured by gas, he was returned to New Zealand and sent to Te Waikato Sanatorium near Cambridge for treatment, where he died on the 24th March, 1917.

Opened on 11 December, 1903 by Sir Joseph Ward, Te Waikato supplied a very desperate need in New Zealand and many sufferers saw their salvation in the opening of its doors. The Department of Health was besieged with applications. The treatment and facilities offered at Maungakawa were particularly suited to the treatment of early cases. One regulation made six months the limit of treatment, except under special circumstances. At the time of opening there was space for about 30 patients but it was obvious from the number of applications that this was inadequate. Further additions gave accommodation for over 60 patients with possibly some 160 later undergoing treatment annually.

During World War One (1914-1918) Te Waikato filled a desperate need in the Waikato for convalescent servicemen. To simplify administration the Cambridge sanatorium (100 beds) was restricted to male patients, and the Otaki Sanatorium (34 beds) to female patients.

Occupational therapy continued to be used with great success under Matron E Brown, and Colonel G M Scott the medical officer. Many old diggers recall the good deeds of the “marvellous Cambridge ladies”, the cardigans and socks they knitted, the baskets of fruit and in particular the “strawberry days”. Cambridge people did much in relieving the monotony and isolation of the patients by organising concert parties.

Te Waikato closed its doors in 1922.

Sources: Auckland Museum “Cenotaph”,CWGC, Cambridge Museum

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Casualty

Service Number:

2/2027

Name:

Ira William Holdsworth

Rank:

Warrant Officer Class 2

Date of Birth:

Not known

Place of Birth:

Bradford, Yorkshire, England

Next of Kin:

Mrs I.W. Holdsworth (wife), care of J. Holdsworth, 7 Orleans Street, Keighley, Yorkshire, England

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Enlistment Address:

Thornleigh, 10 Boulcott Street, Wellington, New Zealand

Armed Force:

Army

Unit:

New Zealand Field Artillery

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Died of wounds (gas)

Date of Death:

24 March 1917

Day of Death:

Saturday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW1

Embarkation Details

Embarkation Body:

7th Reinforcements

Embarkation Place:

Wellington, New Zealand

Embarkment Date:

09 October 1915

Transport:

HMNZT 32
HMNZT 33
HMNZT 34

Vessel:

Aparima or Navua or Warrimoo

Destination:

Suez, Egypt

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Cambridge (Hautapu) Public Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

Block D, Grave 70.

Cemetery Location:

New Zealand