Private Charles Thomas Holt

Charles Thomas Davis Holt was born at Auckland, New Zealand on 10 July 1890. Holt’s mother was Mary Ellen Bull and his father’s details are unknown.

Holt’s enlistment records identify his occupation as a window dresser/draper in August 1915. At this time Holt was working for Pike Brothers a quality menswear importer and tailor at Brisbane, When he enlisted for a second time in July 1916, his occupation was given as theatrical.

Holt first enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in Brisbane on 26 August 1915. He was attached to the Divisional Ammunition Park Reinforcements but discharged in November 1915 following the disbanding of his unit. Holt re-enlisted in Sydney on 5 July 1916 and was attached to the Army Medical Corps. From his enlistment to April 1917, Holt served in field hospitals at Liverpool and Roseville, New South Wales. He embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Hororata on 14 June 1917 and arrived in Liverpool, England, on 26 August 1917.

In October 1917, Holt was sent to France and taken on strength with the 13th Field Ambulance. He remained with this unit in France until February 1918 when he was detached to 4th Division Headquarters, where he assisted in establishing a concert party to entertain troops called “The Smart Set”. Holt remained with the party until 25 August 1918. During a performance by “The Smart Set” at Rouen on 24 and 25 June 1918, Holt sang “Every Little While” and performed in two sketches.

Holt was in hospital with appendicitis in January and February 1919. He returning to England in February 1919 and was attached to AIF Headquarters during May 1919. From 14 May to 31 October 1919, Holt was granted leave with pay to perform as a member of the Concert Party, The Smart Set. At this time, the Smart Set was performing in Brussels, Paris and various other French cities before touring England for several months. From 1 November to 31 December 1919, Holt was granted leave without pay for business reasons and was staying with Baroness de Kroop in London’s West End.

Holt departed England for Australia aboard the troopship Friedrichsruh on 22 January 1920 and disembarked at Sydney on 12 March 1920. He was discharged from the AIF on 19 April 1920.

After his discharge, Holt re-established “The Smart Set” as “The Smart Set Diggers”, engaging various returned soldiers that had performed while on active service. The troupe toured Australia and New Zealand from 1920 to 1922. In 1922 Holt travelled to Java with seven other performers and as the “Globetrotters” variety company, touring Indonesia, Singapore, Malaya, Thailand, India, Hong Kong, China and Japan through until 1924. The troupe returned to Australia, and with Holt as manager and producer, toured the country at various times until about 1930. Holt had travelled to America in September 1925 to perform and returned to America in early 1930 for performances at the PalaceTheatre, New York. Holt returned to Australia to perform with “The Follies of 1930” from September 1930.

Holt left Australia again in late 1930 to tour America and England on vaudeville circuits and during this period was associated with Gracie Fields in a number of her productions. During this tour Holt married Hedwig Edith Klinger at London in May 1937, the couple did not have children. Holt returned to Australia in May 1938.

Holt enlisted in the Australian Military Forces in May 1941 and was posted to the Entertainment Company, listing his occupation as stage artist and marital status as single. He was hospitalised and discharged in July 1941 as being unlikely to become an efficient soldier. Holt re-enlisted at Paddington, New South Wales in April 1942, stating his occupation as vaudeville artist and a widower and was attached to 13 Garrison Battalion. He was discharged the following month due to being medically unfit.

Charles Thomas Davis Holt died at Sydney, New South Wales, on 12 August 1943. Hedwig Edith Holt travelled to America in June 1955 and applied for naturalization.