HOLTOM Theodore Kenneth Charles

Appears on the Army casualties list for Worcestershire.

A letter from the Reverend H. Francis Atkins, The Rectory, Church Lench, Evesham dated 23rd August 1950 can be found within war records held at Worcestershire Archives requesting that Private Theodore Kenneth Charles Holtom, 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, service no 5247981 be added to the county roll of honour.

Reverend Atkins sent a second letter dated 12th September 1950 with the same information.

The following additional information was researched and transcribed by Alan Stephens:
Theodore Kenneth Charles Holtom (known as Ken) was the son of Charles and Gladys Holtom. He was born in Church Lench attending school there and he was a member of the church choir. He was also a keen pianist. He joined the Army at the age of 17 and spent 3 years serving in China, returning home at Christmas 1936. He then left the Army but remained in the reserves. For a time he was in the Police Force at Stourbridge before joining the Air Ministry.

In September 1938 he married Florence Smith of Church Lench and with the rise in international tension was recalled to the army in August 1939 serving in 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. The regiment was sent to the Middle-East on the day war was declared taking part in the Eritrean Campaign against the Italians which took place between June 1940 and November 1941. The Worcesters as part of the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade, 5th Indian Division were transferred to the western desert of Egypt in August 1941, taking part in the on-going battles there.

On 21st May 1942 the battalion took up positions on an escarpment at Sidi Rezegh about 10 miles south of Tobruk and spent some time trying to strengthen the defences but with the ground very rocky this proved difficult. On 5th June the Battalion moved to Bel Hamid a few miles to the north-west and on 7th June it moved to a locality known as Point 187 some 20 miles further west.

It cannot be said with certainty where or when Ken Holtom was wounded, contemporary reports are that he died of wounds which indicate that he was possibly wounded before the date of death, 8th June. On 6th June one company was sent to help with the withdrawal of the Free French and arrived at Pt. 187 on 8th June. Battalion reports record that he died at Pt.187

When he left England his wife was expecting a baby (Jimmy) who was born 2 months after he set sail. He never saw his son.

Tobruk was captured by the Germans on 21st June 1942 with over 30,000 troops taken prisoner.