Report written by Peter Brown MBE MSc

Hon Chairman RMA PT Branch

Maj Gen Holmes, who served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, was CGRM from 2019 until April this year, was found dead at his home in Winchester, Hampshire, on Oct 2.   Among those at the funeral at Winchester Cathedral were his widow, Lea, a solicitor, and his children, William, 11, and Eleanor, 15.   Also present were Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.

All elements of the Royal Marines were represented at the funeral, including 42 Commando, to which Maj Gen Holmes had previously belonged, with music provided by the Royal Marines Band Service. A crowd of mourners gathered in the grounds alongside a parade of RMA members and standard bearers from the Royal Marines Association and the USMC.  Following the funeral service, which concluded with the Last Post and the national anthem, a volley of three shots was fired by 12 recently passed out Marines from CTCRM.

The whole funeral event was very sombre but was carried out with great dignity and meaning in a true Royal Marines style and it was a great honour to participate on such a huge occasion. Over 700 mourners packed the cathedral, including our President, Maj. Gen. Andy Keeling CB CBE. Former PTI/Corps RSM Phil Gilby MBE was responsible for conducting the parade of RMA members outside the cathedral.

There were eight RMA Standard-bearers representing their branches at the funeral, as well as the USMC standard bearer. These included three former members of the PT Branch, Paul Hardy (RMA Deal), Merv Sheppard (RMA Newcastle & District) and myself representing the PT Branch. Later, I was able to pass on my condolences to Maj. Gen. Holmes’s widow, Lea, on behalf of the PT Branch. May he rest in peace!