Flight Sergeant (Pilot) 1333120, 82 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Died 17/10/1943. Age 23.

 

Born in 1920 the third of four children of George Holding and Lilian Mary nee Jarman. George from being a Metropolitan Police Officer joined the Machine Gun Corps finishing as Lieutenant, he sadly died in 1926 of Tuberculosis of the liver leaving Lilian with 4 children under 10. 

 

On the 17th October 1943 a twelve aircraft mission to attack positions NE of Maungdaw held by the Japanese. Flight Sergeant Holding and Warrant Officer John Barnard were flying Vengeance IA EZ845, they failed to return having crashed behind enemy lines while divebombing. There bodies were subsequently recovered and buried at Taukkyan War Cemetery2.

 

In the early part of 1942, 82 Squadron moved to India to join the fight against the Japanese, flying Vengence dive-bombers. Anti-submarine and shipping patrols commenced in November 1942 and then extended to the bombing of Japanese targets in Burma from June 1943, this was for a year before being re-equipped with Mosquito bombers in 1944