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Geoffrey Vesey HOLT, 91 Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery
1898- 2nd September 1917

In the summer of 1916, just as the brutal Battle of the Somme was raging across the English Channel, a
magnificent society wedding took place in the tranquil setting of St. James’ Church. Miss Marjorie
Vesey Holt married Horace Christian Dawkins, younger son of the late Clinton Dawkins of the Foreign
Office. After the ceremony the bride and groom paired out of the church between a guard of honour
formed by Special Constables of “G” Division (Shoreditch, Hoxton & Islington) of which Mr. Dawkins
was the Commander. The reception was held at the bride’s home, the magnificent 400-year-old
mansion of Mount Mascal, built on the hillside overlooking North Cray. Marjorie had all four
brothers serving in the War but the youngest was Geoffrey.

Geoffrey Vesey Holt, born in Bexley in 1898, was the fourth son of a very successful Army Agent and
grew up in a family who were very wealthy. He went to Eton Public School and took an enthusiastic
interest in the Boy Scout Movement. His father was President of the Sidcup Local Association of Baden
Powell Boy Scouts and even before the Association was formed he organised the first patrol in the
district at North Cray and himself rose through successive stages to be Assistant Scoutmaster. At the
outbreak of war, Geoffrey was only 16 years-of-age and still at school, but three years later he was an
eager and zealous Army Officer in the Royal Horse Artillery, but didn’t go to the Front until March
1917.

In the summer of 1917, 2nd Lt. Geoffrey Vesey Holt's battalion took part in the Passschendael
nd
offensive, officially known as the third Battle of Ypres. Unfortunately on 2 September, a solitary shell
burst very close to Geoffrey and he was killed. It was reported that his death occurred about 20 yards
from the battery which he was on his way to superintend. His commanding officer, writing to his father,
said: “Before you receive this letter from me, you will know of the very sad news of the death in action of
yours son. He had joined the Battery just before I was given command about four weeks since, and during
that time both in action and for a few days in rest, I was able to find that I had in him a very gallant and
efficient officer and a very good friend.”

The news was absolutely devastating to the young boys of the North Cray Troop, who went into
mourning for a month in memory of their late Assistant Scoutmaster. They called their premises
Geoffrey Hall in his honour. Their leader told the Kentish Times: “He set by his example and keenness
the highest ideals of scout craft, and by none is his death more sincerely mourned than by the boys of his
troop, who will ever cherish his memory with admiration and esteem for what he did for them and what he
was to them.”

In Memoriam Geoffrey Vesey Holt is buried in the Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.

Sign for Scout Hall (Geoffrey Hall) North Cray