Other Information:Maurice was educated at King’s College School and King’s College Hospital, London, qualifying M.R.C.S., L.S.A. in 1886. During his medical career the became a specialist in operative surgery. He joined the Army Medical Services as Captain on 5th February 1887. On 5th February 1899 he gained promotion to the rank of Major. In 1908 he was in Medical Charge of the Expedition to Sambana’s and New Zululand, and received the thanks of the Colonial Office. He served in the South African War 1900 - 1902, taking part in the operations of Natal - including actions at Elandslaagte, Reitfontein and Lambard’s Kop, and was present at the Defence of Ladysmith (MiD L.G. 29/7/1902). For his service here he received the Queen’s Medal with three clasps, and King’s Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (L.G. 31/10/1902), “Maurice Percy Cue Holt, Major, Royal Army Medical Corps. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.” On 29th July 1911 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was given the Brevet of Colonel 4th July 1914. Mobilized at the outbreak of war, he formed No 2 General Hospital on 12th August 1914, then sailed from Southampton to Le Harve with the unit, entering the war in France on 14th August 1914. He served as the Commanding Officer of the unit until 10th September 1914, when he succeeded Colonel Dalton (who was fatally wounded) to become the Assistant Director of Medical Service (A.D.M.S.) of the 2nd Division.
On 31st October 1914 the headquarters of the 2nd Division were in the chateau at Hooge when a shell exploded in the chateau and killed six officers and two other ranks, and wounded several other officers including Maurice, luckily it was a very slight wound. He gained further promotion to the rank of Colonel on 1st March 1915.
Also in 1915 he was appointed Companion Order of the Bath (C.B.). On 22nd October 1915 he was transferred to the 22nd Division becoming A.D.M.S., 22nd Division, British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) and Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (M.E.F.). When the XVIth Corps was formed in January 1916, he was appointed Deputy Director of Medical Service (D.D.M.S.), XVIth Army Corps, M.E.F. and British Salonika Force (B.S.F.). In May 1917, when Colonel Sutton was transferred for duty in England, Maurice succeeded him as D.D.M.S., LInes of Communication, B.S.F until 20th December 1917, when he replaced Surgeon-General W G Macpherson at G.H.Q., France as Director of Medical Services (D.M.S.). The appointment of a D.M.S. as head of the administrative medical services ceased in November 1920, when Maurice was transferred to England. During this time, in 1917, he was made a Knight Commander Order of St Michael & St George, and in 1919 a Knight Commander Order of the Bath. He was also promoted to the rank of Major-General on 15th April 1918. He retired from the A.M.S. in 1922 He was the husband of Sarah Annie, daughter of Thomas M Busteed of Madras - married in 1887. They had a son and a daughter. [Papers and souvenirs of Major General Sir Maurice Holt can be found with the Wellcome library, under the reference no: RAMC 380]
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