245814 Cpl. Wilfred Holding British Army South Lancashire regiment from:Warrington Corporal Wilfred "Wilf" Holding started his military service as a Private and saw 14 years active service in Burma. He also survived the Dunkirk evacuation. He was aboard HMS Skipjack that was attacked by German Fighter planes. 5 bombs hit her with around 260 lives lost out of the 275 on board. Wilf was in the water for hours and was badly burned from fuel oil ignited on the surface. The survivors were machine gunned whilst in the water and Wilf sustained a severe leg injury from a bullet that hit him. He was finally picked up by a small Dutch boat called the Hilda and they managed to help him, he was in a very poor condition. He was taken from Dover to hospital, where he spent months recovering. He made a full recovery and lived a long life to the age of 84. Wilf had 3 children, 2 boys and a girl. I am the youngest of those children and am myself now aged 66. Wilf has 5 grandchildren that he did see and love and also sadly 3 grandchildren that were born after he died. Wilf, my Dad, was a lovely funny man who lived a full life that was a very hard dangerous life and yet got the most out of the simple things in life that he could. I love him and still miss him dearly. He left a great legacy.
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