in New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. Holmes was appointed the commander. Under Holmes command the force sailed from Sydney on the auxiliary cruiser on 19 August 1914. The German governor surrendered to Holmes on 12 September 1914 and the British flag was raised over the town. Holmes was criticised in Australia for offering extremely lenient terms, but he was under orders to occupy, not annex, German New Guinea. Holmes became administrator of New Guinea. He relinquished the post to Colonel Samuel Pethebridge in January 1915 and returned to Australia, where his appointment to the AN&MEF was terminated on 6 February 1915. Gallipoli On 16 March 1915, Holmes was appointed to the Australian Imperial Force as commander of the newly formed 5th Brigade with the rank of colonel. The brigade left Sydney in May and arrived in Egypt in June 1915, where it became part of the 2nd Division. The 5th Brigade began moving to Gallipoli in early August and Holmes arrived on the 19th. The brigade was placed at the disposal of Major General Alexander Godley of the New Zealand and Australian Division and elements participated in the fighting for Hill 60. The 5th Brigade took over the trenches facing the Nek from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade on 28 August 1915. Holmes made a habit of regularly visiting every key part of his front lines. When Major General James Legge fell ill in November and was evacuated, Holmes took over acting command of the 2nd Division. He was still in temporary command of the division in December 1915, when they were amongst the last of the Anzac troops to be evacuated from Gallipoli. Western Front After the evacuation of Anzac, Holmes returned to the 5th Brigade, which he took to the Western Front in April 1916. He led the brigade in the attacks on the Pozières Heights in August and at Flers in October 1916. In January 1917, Holmes was given command of the 4th Division, replacing Major General Vaughan Cox. Holmes continued his habit of personally reconnoitring every part of his line. On 31 March 1917, he paid a daylight visit to an outpost near Lagnicourt, as usual wearing his red hat band, accompanied by his aide, Lieutenant Fergusson. Holmes was sniped at but not hit; Fergusson was hit and had to be left behind, to be evacuated after nightfall. Shortly afterwards the post was shelled, causing