Here is Herbet James Holiday. He was an assisitant shepherd working with his father in Stuntney before he joined up. He was killed in action at the age of 19.
His employer petitioned to have him exempted from service but this was not granted.
On 30 Dec 1917 the SS Aragon was in the harbour of Alexandria when she was torpedoed by a German submarine. Herbet Holiday was on board the fleet auxillary craft HMS Osmanieh which was searching for survivors. This was hit by a mine and went down with 149 soldiers and nurses.
Here is an fascinating website is where I found Herbet's story and that of many other Ely people who were killed in action: From Fenland farms to Flanders Fields, Ely and World War 1.
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