Holmes Family WW1 memorabilia. 06 Apr 1916 - The Battle of St Eloi Craters, Canadian Expeditionary Forces Major Operation. “… the British had been patiently tunnelling since August (1915) at nearby St Eloi, about three miles south of Ypres, and adjacent to the Canadian trenches. Throughout the winter, the tunnelling crept ever closer to a dominant German-held feature dubbed “The Mound.” When the tunnels were completed in early March, tons of explosives were emplaced in six locations and on March 27, 1916, at 4:14 a.m. the charges were set off. Two German companies were wiped out and large sections of the German trenches were destroyed, but the British 9th Brigade’s attack faltered and became a bloody close-quarters slugging match, with the last bomb crater captured only on April 3.” (Zuehlke, Mark. Daniel, C. Stuart. The Canadian Military Atlas. The Nation’s Battlefields from the French and Indian Wars to Kosovo. Stoddart Publishing Co. Limited. Toronto. 2001 p. 125)A number of World War One soldiers, members of the Northumberland Fusiliers celebrate after the battle of St Eloi. Some or wear tin helmuts.The "Fighting Fifth" (Northumberland Fusiliers) after the battle of St Eloi"chatham-holmes family collection, fighting fifth, northumberland fusiliers, tunneling, explosion, crater, world war one, postcard

Leaflet gives more information of St Eloi and the finding of his statue.Two-page duplicated leaflet on St Eloi, patron saint of hammer-men. Part of a set of information on Rutherglen, Scotland.glasgow scotland, st eloi, eligius

Picture of a stone statue of St Eloi or Eligius. The statue was found in 1794 while demolishing Rutherglen (Scotland) Church.Colour postcard of St Eloi, patron Saint of hammer-men. Part of a set of information on Rutherglen, Scotlandrutherglen scotland, st eloi, eligius

Daily Mail Battle Pictures, Series VII.Seven black & white postcards of aspects of the Great War..1) The glorious first of July 1916 - Our first prisoners, SVII No 49. .2) Star shell bursting near British lines, SVII No 51. .3) Army Chaplain tending British graves, SVII No 52. .4) The Fighting Fifth (Northumberland Fusiliers) after the Battle of St Eloi, SVII No 52. .5) Tommy's lookout in a captured trench at Orvillers, SVII No 52. .6) London Scottish going into their trenches,m SVII No 55. .7) Sir D Haig introducing Sir Pertab Singh to Generall Joffre, SV11 No 49.photography-photographs, military history, passchendaele barracks trust