Les Holden
Encyclopedia
Leslie Hubert Holden MC
, AFC
(6 March 1895 – 18 September 1932) was an Australian fighter ace
and commercial aviator. Born in South Australia
, he joined the Light Horse in May 1915, serving in Egypt and France. In December 1916, he volunteered for the Australian Flying Corps and qualified as a pilot. As a member of No. 2 Squadron
on the Western Front
, he gained the sobriquets "Lucky Les" and "the homing pigeon" after a brace of incidents saw him limping back to base in bullet-riddled aircraft. He was awarded the Military Cross
, and went on to achieve five aerial victories flying Airco DH.5
s and Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
s.
Promoted to Captain, Holden finished the war as an instructor
with No. 6 (Training) Squadron
in England, where his work earned him the Air Force Cross
. After leaving the Australian Flying Corps in 1919, he became a manager at the family firm of Holden's Motor Body Builders
, before setting up as a commercial pilot and establishing his own air service. In 1929, he located Charles Kingsford Smith
and Charles Ulm
in the north-west Australian desert after the pair was reported missing on a flight to England in the Southern Cross. Holden was killed in a passenger plane crash in September 1932, at the age of thirty-seven.
, South Australia, to travelling businessman Hubert William Holden and his wife Annie Maria. The elder Holden landed a partnership with Nestlé
in 1905, and the family moved to Turramurra
, New South Wales. Completing his education at Sydney Church of England Grammar School
, Les joined Nestlé in 1911 as a salesman. By the time World War I
broke out in August 1914, he was an assistant manager.
on 26 May 1915, joining the 4th Light Horse Brigade as a private
. He departed for Egypt aboard the transport A29 Suevic on 13 June. Serving as a driver first in the Middle East
and then in France, his mechanical ability and sense of adventure led him to volunteer for the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) in December 1916. After qualifying as a pilot in England, he was commissioned a Lieutenant
and posted to No. 2 Squadron AFC
. Commanded by Major Oswald Watt
, No. 2 Squadron's personnel included many former Lighthorsemen, as well as mechanics from the AFC's first combat formation, the Mesopotamian Half Flight
. The force trained extensively in England commencing in January 1917, before deploying to the Western Front
that September. Holden was involved in the AFC's first day of combat in France when he and his wingman engaged a German two-seater in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin
just after noon on 2 October, but the latter managed to escape.
Because its Airco DH.5
s were handicapped as fighters
by engine problems and low speed, No. 2 Squadron was employed mainly on ground support
duties. During the fog-shrouded opening day of the Battle of Cambrai on 20 November, Holden bombed and machine-gunned a German communications trench from altitudes as low as twenty or thirty feet. He returned to a forward airfield near Havrincourt Wood
with his plane, in the words of the official history of Australia in the war, "a flying wreck. Every part of it was shot full of holes, including petrol-tank, tail-plane, both longerons, and part of the undercarriage, while the elevator control was shot clean away." Two days later he repeated the exercise with similar consequences for his aircraft, "clear evidence of the dangers of the work and of his own good luck". This brace of close calls gained him the nicknames "Lucky Les" and "the homing pigeon". He was recommended for the Military Cross
on 3 December for his action of 20 November, the award being promulgated in the London Gazette
on 4 February 1918, and the citation appearing on 5 July:
Holden claimed his first aerial victory while No. 2 Squadron was still flying DH.5s, prior to it commencing its conversion to Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
s in December 1917. On 18 February 1918, he shared in one of its first two victories in the S.E.5, helping send an Albatros
down in a spin. He claimed another three aircraft shot down over the following month, giving him a total of five victories. At least one of these took place during the Spring Offensive
, on 22 March, when all available Allied aircraft were thrown into battle to stem the German advance.
Promoted to Captain in March 1918, Holden was posted to England in May as a flying instructor
with No. 6 (Training) Squadron
at Minchinhampton
. The unit was part of the 1st Training Wing
, led by the former Commanding Officer of No. 2 Squadron, Major (now Lieutenant Colonel) Watt. Holden briefly took command of No. 6 Squadron from 25 July to 11 August, while his skill as an instructor led to him being awarded the Air Force Cross
, promulgated on 3 June 1919.
as its Sydney
manager. On 3 June 1924, he married Kathleen Packman at St Mark's Anglican Church in Darling Point
. Still hankering after flying, he enlisted the help of friends to purchase a De Havilland DH.61 Giant Moth in 1928. He named it Canberra, and used it to start a charter operation out of Sydney's Mascot Aerodrome
.
Holden became a national celebrity in April 1929 when he successfully undertook an aerial search of the north-western Australian wilderness to locate Charles Kingsford Smith
and Charles Ulm
, after the pair had gone missing on a flight from Sydney to England in the Southern Cross
. In a tragic adjunct, however, two other searchers, Keith Anderson and Bob Hitchcock, were lost in their aircraft the Kookaburra, and the media of the day turned on Smith and Ulm, accusing them of a publicity stunt. The controversy resulted in the Sydney Citizens' Relief Committee, which had commissioned Holden to undertake the rescue operation, withholding payment of his expenses. He nevertheless continued flying commercially, and is credited with making—in September 1931—arguably the first flight from Sydney to New Guinea, where he started an air freight service. He expanded his operations the following year in Sydney with more aircraft, establishing Holden's Air Transport Services.
On 18 September 1932, Holden was travelling as a passenger aboard a New England Airways DH.80 Puss Moth
from Sydney to Brisbane
when it crashed at Byron Bay
in northern New South Wales, killing him instantly. The other occupants, pilot Ralph Virtue and joint owner of the Canberra, Holden's schoolfriend Dr George Hamilton, also perished. Investigations determined that the Puss Moth, VH-UPM, had gone down as a result of wing failure caused by aileron
flutter. A crowded memorial service for Holden and Hamilton took place at Sydney Church of England Grammar School on 20 September; they were cremated that afternoon at Rookwood Cemetery
, where eighteen aircraft piloted by friends and associates of the pair overflew the chapel. Holden was survived by his wife and three daughters. His father Hubert carried on operating Holden's Air Transport Services, floating it as a public corporation and serving as chairman. Les Holden, George Hamilton, and one of their schoolmates who had also recently died, Henry Braddon, were commemorated with a memorial stained-glass window at the Sydney Church of England Grammar School chapel in 1934.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(6 March 1895 – 18 September 1932) was an Australian fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
and commercial aviator. Born in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, he joined the Light Horse in May 1915, serving in Egypt and France. In December 1916, he volunteered for the Australian Flying Corps and qualified as a pilot. As a member of No. 2 Squadron
No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, he gained the sobriquets "Lucky Les" and "the homing pigeon" after a brace of incidents saw him limping back to base in bullet-riddled aircraft. He was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, and went on to achieve five aerial victories flying Airco DH.5
Airco DH.5
-Bibliography:* Bruce, J.M. Warplanes of the First World War, Vol. 1. London: MacDonald, 1965, pp. 128–132.* Jackson, A.J. De Havilland Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam, 1962....
s and Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
s.
Promoted to Captain, Holden finished the war as an instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
with No. 6 (Training) Squadron
No. 6 Squadron RAAF
No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force training and bomber squadron. The squadron was first formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. It was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939...
in England, where his work earned him the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
. After leaving the Australian Flying Corps in 1919, he became a manager at the family firm of Holden's Motor Body Builders
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
, before setting up as a commercial pilot and establishing his own air service. In 1929, he located Charles Kingsford Smith
Charles Kingsford Smith
Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC , often called by his nickname Smithy, was an early Australian aviator. In 1928, he earned global fame when he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia...
and Charles Ulm
Charles Ulm
Charles Thomas Philippe Ulm AFC was a pioneer Australian aviator.-World War I:Ulm joined the AIF in September 1914, lying about his name and age to get in. He fought and was wounded at Gallipoli in 1915, and on the Western Front in 1918.Charles Ulm was married twice. In 1919 he married Isabel...
in the north-west Australian desert after the pair was reported missing on a flight to England in the Southern Cross. Holden was killed in a passenger plane crash in September 1932, at the age of thirty-seven.
Early life
Holden was born on 3 March 1895 in East AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia, to travelling businessman Hubert William Holden and his wife Annie Maria. The elder Holden landed a partnership with Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
in 1905, and the family moved to Turramurra
Turramurra, New South Wales
Turramurra is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Turramurra is located north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council...
, New South Wales. Completing his education at Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Les joined Nestlé in 1911 as a salesman. By the time World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out in August 1914, he was an assistant manager.
World War I
Holden enlisted in the Australian Imperial ForceFirst Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
on 26 May 1915, joining the 4th Light Horse Brigade as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
. He departed for Egypt aboard the transport A29 Suevic on 13 June. Serving as a driver first in the Middle East
Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
The Middle Eastern theatre of World War I was the scene of action between 29 October 1914, and 30 October 1918. The combatants were the Ottoman Empire, with some assistance from the other Central Powers, and primarily the British and the Russians among the Allies of World War I...
and then in France, his mechanical ability and sense of adventure led him to volunteer for the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) in December 1916. After qualifying as a pilot in England, he was commissioned a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and posted to No. 2 Squadron AFC
No. 2 Squadron RAAF
No. 2 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron. From its formation in 1916, it has operated a variety of aircraft types including fighters, bombers, and Airborne Early Warning & Control.-World War I:No...
. Commanded by Major Oswald Watt
Oswald Watt
Walter Oswald Watt OBE was an Australian aviator and businessman. The son of a Scottish-Australian merchant and politician, he was born in England and came to Sydney when he was a year old. He returned to Britain at the age of eleven for education at Bristol and Cambridge...
, No. 2 Squadron's personnel included many former Lighthorsemen, as well as mechanics from the AFC's first combat formation, the Mesopotamian Half Flight
Mesopotamian Half Flight
The Mesopotamian Half-Flight, or Australian Half-Flight was the first Australian Flying Corps unit to see active service.At the start of World War I, the air forces of the Allied forces were small and primitive. Most of the available aircraft and pilots were assigned to the Western Front...
. The force trained extensively in England commencing in January 1917, before deploying to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
that September. Holden was involved in the AFC's first day of combat in France when he and his wingman engaged a German two-seater in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin
Saint-Quentin, Aisne
Saint-Quentin is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France. It has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity. It is named after Saint Quentin, who is said to have been martyred here in the 3rd century....
just after noon on 2 October, but the latter managed to escape.
Because its Airco DH.5
Airco DH.5
-Bibliography:* Bruce, J.M. Warplanes of the First World War, Vol. 1. London: MacDonald, 1965, pp. 128–132.* Jackson, A.J. De Havilland Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam, 1962....
s were handicapped as fighters
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
by engine problems and low speed, No. 2 Squadron was employed mainly on ground support
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
duties. During the fog-shrouded opening day of the Battle of Cambrai on 20 November, Holden bombed and machine-gunned a German communications trench from altitudes as low as twenty or thirty feet. He returned to a forward airfield near Havrincourt Wood
Havrincourt
Havrincourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in Nord-Pas-de-Calais in France.-Situation:The village lies about 14 kilometres south-west of Cambrai near the Havrincourt service area on the Autoroute A2...
with his plane, in the words of the official history of Australia in the war, "a flying wreck. Every part of it was shot full of holes, including petrol-tank, tail-plane, both longerons, and part of the undercarriage, while the elevator control was shot clean away." Two days later he repeated the exercise with similar consequences for his aircraft, "clear evidence of the dangers of the work and of his own good luck". This brace of close calls gained him the nicknames "Lucky Les" and "the homing pigeon". He was recommended for the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
on 3 December for his action of 20 November, the award being promulgated in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 4 February 1918, and the citation appearing on 5 July:
Holden claimed his first aerial victory while No. 2 Squadron was still flying DH.5s, prior to it commencing its conversion to Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5
The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
s in December 1917. On 18 February 1918, he shared in one of its first two victories in the S.E.5, helping send an Albatros
Albatros Flugzeugwerke
Albatros-Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer best known for supplying the German airforces during World War I.The company was based in Johannisthal, Berlin, where it was founded by Walter Huth and Otto Wiener on December 20, 1909. It produced some of the most capable fighter aircraft...
down in a spin. He claimed another three aircraft shot down over the following month, giving him a total of five victories. At least one of these took place during the Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
, on 22 March, when all available Allied aircraft were thrown into battle to stem the German advance.
Promoted to Captain in March 1918, Holden was posted to England in May as a flying instructor
Flight instructor
A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to fly aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit...
with No. 6 (Training) Squadron
No. 6 Squadron RAAF
No. 6 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force training and bomber squadron. The squadron was first formed in 1917 and served as a training unit based in England during World War I. It was disbanded in 1919 but re-formed at the start of 1939...
at Minchinhampton
Minchinhampton
Minchinhampton is an ancient market town, located on a hilltop south-south-east of Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, in the Cotswolds. The town is twinned with Nkokoto, in Tanzania....
. The unit was part of the 1st Training Wing
No. 1 Wing RAAF
No. 1 Wing was an Australian Flying Corps and Royal Australian Air Force wing active during World War I and World War II. The wing was established on 1 September 1917 as the 1st Training Wing and commanded the AFC's pilot training squadrons in England until April 1919, when it was...
, led by the former Commanding Officer of No. 2 Squadron, Major (now Lieutenant Colonel) Watt. Holden briefly took command of No. 6 Squadron from 25 July to 11 August, while his skill as an instructor led to him being awarded the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
, promulgated on 3 June 1919.
Post-war career and legacy
No. 6 Squadron was disbanded in March 1919 and Holden returned to Australia on 6 May. Leaving the Australian Flying Corps soon after, he took part in the Commonwealth government's Peace Loan flights before joining the Adelaide-based family firm of Holden's Motor Body BuildersHolden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
as its Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
manager. On 3 June 1924, he married Kathleen Packman at St Mark's Anglican Church in Darling Point
Darling Point, New South Wales
Darling Point is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darling Point is located 4 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Woollahra Council....
. Still hankering after flying, he enlisted the help of friends to purchase a De Havilland DH.61 Giant Moth in 1928. He named it Canberra, and used it to start a charter operation out of Sydney's Mascot Aerodrome
Sydney Airport
Sydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada...
.
Holden became a national celebrity in April 1929 when he successfully undertook an aerial search of the north-western Australian wilderness to locate Charles Kingsford Smith
Charles Kingsford Smith
Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC , often called by his nickname Smithy, was an early Australian aviator. In 1928, he earned global fame when he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia...
and Charles Ulm
Charles Ulm
Charles Thomas Philippe Ulm AFC was a pioneer Australian aviator.-World War I:Ulm joined the AIF in September 1914, lying about his name and age to get in. He fought and was wounded at Gallipoli in 1915, and on the Western Front in 1918.Charles Ulm was married twice. In 1919 he married Isabel...
, after the pair had gone missing on a flight from Sydney to England in the Southern Cross
Southern Cross (aircraft)
Southern Cross is the name of the Fokker F.VIIb/3m trimotor monoplane which in 1928 was flown by Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew in the first ever trans-Pacific flight, from the mainland United States to Australia, about ....
. In a tragic adjunct, however, two other searchers, Keith Anderson and Bob Hitchcock, were lost in their aircraft the Kookaburra, and the media of the day turned on Smith and Ulm, accusing them of a publicity stunt. The controversy resulted in the Sydney Citizens' Relief Committee, which had commissioned Holden to undertake the rescue operation, withholding payment of his expenses. He nevertheless continued flying commercially, and is credited with making—in September 1931—arguably the first flight from Sydney to New Guinea, where he started an air freight service. He expanded his operations the following year in Sydney with more aircraft, establishing Holden's Air Transport Services.
On 18 September 1932, Holden was travelling as a passenger aboard a New England Airways DH.80 Puss Moth
De Havilland Puss Moth
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 . London, Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10010-7-External links:*...
from Sydney to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
when it crashed at Byron Bay
Byron Bay, New South Wales
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...
in northern New South Wales, killing him instantly. The other occupants, pilot Ralph Virtue and joint owner of the Canberra, Holden's schoolfriend Dr George Hamilton, also perished. Investigations determined that the Puss Moth, VH-UPM, had gone down as a result of wing failure caused by aileron
Aileron
Ailerons are hinged flight control surfaces attached to the trailing edge of the wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. The ailerons are used to control the aircraft in roll, which results in a change in heading due to the tilting of the lift vector...
flutter. A crowded memorial service for Holden and Hamilton took place at Sydney Church of England Grammar School on 20 September; they were cremated that afternoon at Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery is the largest multicultural necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, where eighteen aircraft piloted by friends and associates of the pair overflew the chapel. Holden was survived by his wife and three daughters. His father Hubert carried on operating Holden's Air Transport Services, floating it as a public corporation and serving as chairman. Les Holden, George Hamilton, and one of their schoolmates who had also recently died, Henry Braddon, were commemorated with a memorial stained-glass window at the Sydney Church of England Grammar School chapel in 1934.