801 MT COY ASC

Henry Norman Holland was appointed a temporary 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Service Corps 10th October 1914 and was promoted to temporary Captain just a year later; by the end of 1917 he had achieved the rank of temporary Major.

 

Major Holland took over command of the 801st Motor Transport Company when Captain Patton was transferred to the base motor transport depot at Kalamaria on the 23rd of November 1917. There were few changes during Major Holland’s command in the first half of 1918, the company were still camped at K70 on the Seres road supplying various units based in the Struma Valley. On the 16th of July 1918 Major Holland went on leave to the UK almost certainly via the newly completed Bralo Itea route, returning on the 9th September. On the day the Autumn offensive started, 14th September 1918, the 801st moved to Gramatna near the Doiran front, the move took 4 days and Major Holland was reprimanded for taking too long despite having some of his lorries commandeered. By the 21st of September the Serbs had made the break through and the Bulgarians were in full retreat, two days later the company moved again to Vegetor just behind the old line. Over the next few days Major Holland took the company through the old line to Cestovo supporting the pursuit of the Bulgarians  and on through the Kosturino pass to Strumica, where they were operating when the Armistice with Bulgaria was signed on the 30th September. In October the company moved to So Vrac and in November on to Janes near Salonika. There was a major influenza outbreak at this time and tragically 3 men died on Major Hollands watch. In February 1919 demobilisation began, Major Holland handed over command to Lieutenant Parr and returned to the UK on the 2nd February.