several companies in London, and also spent six months in 1930 at the New York Stock Exchange. He played only a few first-class matches in 1928 and 1929, and none from then until 1934, when H. D. G. Leveson Gower, who was President of Surrey, accosted him in Throgmorton Street and in the course of conversation asked him to take over the county's captaincy. He was an instant success, making 1,000 runs in each of the next four seasons and being appointed vice-captain on the MCC tour of the West Indies in 1934–35, where he played in all four Test matches. He made his highest Test score of 85 not out in the Second Test, going to the wicket at 95 for 6 and seeing the score through to 258 all out. He had to take over the captaincy midway through the Fourth Test after the captain, Bob Wyatt, had his jaw broken by a fast ball from Manny Martindale. He also played one Test at Lord's in the 1935 series against South Africa, and was chosen to lead the non-Test tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1935–36. Business commitments led him to make himself unavailable for the 1936–37 tour to Australia under Gubby Allen, and he retired from the Surrey captaincy to resume his business career after the 1938 season. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1936. War service During World War II, he was an officer in the Royal Artillery, achieving the rank of Major. He was described as a "flak expert". He flew as British flak liaison officer with the first American bomber mission against the German naval base at Wilhelmshaven. When the waist gunner of his aircraft was injured, Holmes took his place, but did not have any opportunity to fire the weapon. He was awarded the US DFC in 1948 for his services during the war, having been the flak liaison officer with the 1st Bomb Wing/Division during all their operations over Europe. Later career After the war, Holmes was persuaded back to Surrey as captain for two further seasons from 1947, and as late as 1955, at the age of 49, he came back to captain Surrey in one match against Oxford University, batting at number nine and scoring 49 runs. In retirement, he sat on MCC and Surrey committees. He published his autobiography, Flannelled Foolishness: A Cricketing Chronicle, in