Sash : Sergeant Major S Holmes, 4 Regiment New South Wales Volunteer Infantry

Sergeant's red woven wool sash with a large tassel at each end. The ends of the sash are held together immediately above the tassels by a 22 mm wide band of red woven wool.

Born in Newcastle in 1859, Samuel Holmes joined the 4th Regiment New South Wales Volunteer Infantry in 1885, a year after it had been raised. The regiment was based at Newcastle, with companies in outlying districts. Holmes, living at West Wallsend, was a member of E Company, and was assigned the regimental number 387. He served for 40 years with the unit, and those that succeeded it : 4 Australian Infantry Regiment (1903-1908); 4 Infantry Regiment (1908-1911); 16 Australian Infantry Regiment (1911-1912); 16 Infantry (Newcastle) Battalion (1912-1913); 16 Infantry (Newcastle) Regiment (1913-1914) and 2 Infantry Regiment (1915-). Holmes rose to the rank of sergeant major. He was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal in March 1906. Holmes lived at Wallsend all his life. He died in 1945. This sash was worn in full dress and on parade over the right shoulder by sergeants, and was worn by Holmes c 1900-1925.