Background
Holbech was born in Quebec in 1882, in Murray Bay (now known as Louisiana Malbaie). His father, Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Holbech of the King"s Royal Rifle Corps, was on active duty at the time of his birth.
Holbech was born in Quebec in 1882, in Murray Bay (now known as Louisiana Malbaie). His father, Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Holbech of the King"s Royal Rifle Corps, was on active duty at the time of his birth.
Eton College; Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
He died of wounds following the First Battle of Ypres. The Holbech family owned Farnborough Hall, near Farnborough, Warwickshire, and Holbech"s paternal grandfather, Charles Holbech, was Archdeacon of Coventry from 1873 to 1887. William Walrond, both later represented the same constituency, with the latter also killed in the First World War.
William Holbech was educated at Eton College, going on to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
He was made a second lieutenant in the Scots Guards in January 1902, and promoted lieutenant in March 1904, passing into the reserve in February 1907. An Master Control Console member, Holbech made his first-class debut for an Master Control Console side in June 1908, against Cambridge University.
He had earlier played non-first-class matches for the Master Control Console and for Sandhurst. A right-handed batsman, Holbech played once more the Master Control Console the following season, against Oxford University.
He scored 21 runs in the Master Control Console"s second innings in that match, his highest first-class score.
He also appeared once for Warwickshire, against Hampshire in the 1910 County Championship, but with little success. In August 1914, at the outbreak of the First World War, Holbech rejoined the 2nd Battalion of the Scots Guards, stationed at the Tower of London. The battalion was attached to the 20th Brigade of the 7th Division, landing at Zeebrugge in early October 1914.
Holbech reached the frontline on 18 October, participating in the First Battle of Ypres.
A week later, he was shot in the thigh, and severely wounded. He was repatriated to London, but died at the Royal Herbert Hospital in Greenwich on 1 November, after his wound became septic.
Holbech was buried at Street Botolph churchyard, following a lavish funeral at Farnborough Hall.
