Jack Holmes

HOLMES, GROUP CAPTAIN ALBERT JOHN, A.F.C. and Bar, died suddenly at his home at Burwash after a heart attack on May 21. Born at Thornton Heath, Surrey, on June 30, 1899, he was a member of the Test Match Selection Committee in 1939, became Chairman for the first four seasons following the War, and was appointed for 1950, but resigned through ill-health upon the advice of his doctor. Generally known among cricketers as Jack, he was educated at Repton, where he did well as a batsman. After service in the first World War, in the Royal Field Artillery and then with the Royal Flying Corps, he made his first appearance for Sussex in 1923, scoring over 1,000 runs, but in 1925 he rejoined the Royal Air force, and not until 1935, when he transferred to the Reserve, was he able to play again for the county. Then, when A. Melville resigned the position before returning to South Africa, Holmes took over the Sussex captaincy, which he held till the outbreak of the last war, when he returned to the R.A.F. His most successful season was that of 1937, when he scored 1,108 runs, average 25.76. In 1940, when a Wing Commander, he was awarded the Air Force Cross and received a Bar to the decoration in 1942. His genial personality made him very popular and contributed largely to his success as manager of the MCC team which toured South Africa in 1938-39. He was a pioneer of mink farming in England.
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack