Lieutenant Ethel Marie Holmes

Lieutenant (Army).

Ethel Marie Walker (Mrs. J. E. Holmes) was the daughter of the late Lewis Walker, grain merchant. According to the attached report from January 1918, she was granted a six months' leave of absence after serving 3 and a half years as a Nursing Sister. Her services had been recognized by the King - she was recalled from Boulogne in the summer of 1916 to Buckingham Palace where she was decorated by King.

Ethel Marie Holmes graduated from St. Margaret's College. She graduated from St. Luke's Hospital in New York, and married Dr. J. E. Holmes, a dentist. He was the son of Rev. Dr. Holmes, pastor of Queen Street Methodist church in Toronto, but later living in Saskatoon.

Both husband and wife left for England with the first Canadian contingent in 1914. Ethel Marie Holmes was first stationed in England as matron of Orpington Hospital. She later went to Boulogne where she remained for two years in charge of a unit of nurses. After that she returned to Shorncliffe, England.

Ethel Marie Holmes was married to Lieut.-Col. James Elliot Holmes, Canadian Army Dental Corps.

A photograph of the couple (see attached) appeared in the Toronto Star on January 17th, 1918. It included the following caption:

Col. Holmes is second in command of Canadian Dentists. Mrs. Holmes, after three and a half years' war service as a nurse, has been honoured by the King.