[4] Holmes was 24 years old, and a lance corporal in the 2nd Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place at the Battle of Le Cateau for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC): At Le Gateau on 26th August, carried a wounded man out of the trenches under heavy fire and later assisted to drive a gun out of action by taking the place of a driver who had been woundedOn the first day of the Battle of Le Cateau, Holmes came across Bugler H. Norman Hawthorne, who was lying in the open with two broken legs.

[2] He returned to his battalion only to find "a scene of carnage",[5] with much of the men "killed or wounded and a gun in danger of being captured by German forces".

[3] A wounded artilleryman asked Holmes if he could ride, as all the drivers were dead and someone had to guide the six horses to take the 18-pounder gun to safety.

[3] Eventually, on the second day of the battle, Holmes and his gun team reached the rearguard of a retiring artillery column.

[5][4] However, in October 1914, he was seriously wounded in the ankle during a counter-attack; this resulted in the army doctors at the dressing station wishing to amputate his leg but he refused.

[8] On 13 January 1915, he attended Buckingham Palace where he received his VC from King George V.[4] In October 1915, having recovered from his leg injury, Holmes joined the 1st Battalion, Green Howards and was promoted to sergeant.

[6] On 27 September 1939, he reached the age limit of liability for call up and so ceased to belong to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers.

[13] However, during the Second World War, he voluntarily once more became a British Army officer and served in a number of administrative appointments in the United Kingdom until ill health led to his discharge in June 1943.

[5] His ashes are interred in the Stirling North Garden Cemetery, Port Augusta, alongside his wife who predeceased him by one year.

[5] In 1917, Holmes, who was a Lieutenant at the time, stated that whilst on his veranda with a group of officers in Kirkee, he had observed the Indian rope trick being performed by an old man and young boy.

"[16] Holmes later admitted this, however, the photograph was reproduced by the press in several magazines and newspapers as proof the trick had been successfully demonstrated.