William Nassau Holmes was born on 24th Dec 1832 near the Curragh Camp at Ballysax in Co. Kildare.
He was 15 years old when his father died and at 17 years on 4th Feb 1850...... he joined the 60th Kings Royal Rifles in Dublin and allocated soldier No.2721.
William married Jane Donaldson at King Williams Town, British Kaffaria on 3rd Feb 1858. (Jane Donaldson’s family were from Ballybay, Co. Monaghan)

Promotions were:
Corporal on 1st June 1853
Sergeant on 1st April 1854
Colour Sergeant on 1st April 1855
Sergeant Major at Aldershot in April 1864
Quartermaster on 17th April 1867 and then became a Commissioned Officer.

He served for 30 years in the Second Batt. of the 60th Kings Royal Rifles, some 24 years of which were in South Africa, China and twice in India.
From 1851-2-3 he served under Gen Sir Harry Smith in the Kaffir War receiving a medal.
In 1858 he fought in the Indian Mutiny in the Shahabad district and Judispore jungle, received a medal.
He was at the surrender of Peking in 1860, taking of the Taku Forts and burning of the Emperors Palace.

In 1866 William returned to Portsmouth, England and at which time he served legal claims to the Dublin courts in an attempt to claim as “heir at law” the leases earlier held by his grandmother and grandfather in the Kilcullen area, near Ballysax.
Due to his long absence away from home it was denied.

During the war in Afghanistan in 1878-80, he marched from Kabul to Kandahar under Gen Lord Roberts and fought at Ahmed Khel, and was at the surrender of Kandahar.
In 1880 he was Major William N Holmes, but upon retirement he accepted a lower rank of Captain.

The family arrived in Tasmania in 1881, living firstly at “The Falls” near New Norfolk before being granted land at Scottsdale.
He settled at ‘Dilkhoosa’, West Scottsdale, to live with his large family and commenced a farming operation which lasted for three generations.
Capt W N Holmes was a Territorial Magistrate for many years.