Alfred was born in Melton in 1891. At eighteen years old, he joined the Army and served with the 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, attaining the rank of Lance Serjeant. By 1911 he was in the Barossa Barracks, Aldershot and in April 1913, Alfred transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as 2AM (Air Mechanic 2nd Class).

When war was declared, Alfred was one of the first to be sent to France, arriving there on 16th August 1914. By 1917 he had returned to Britain and was posted to the 61st Training Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, based at South Carlton in Lincolnshire—now known as RAF Scampton.

On Monday 18th June 1917, Alfred was piloting an R.E. 8 aircraft, a two-seat biplane used for reconnaissance and bombing missions, when he attempted to turn while too close to the ground. This action caused his plane to crash. Alfred was taken to hospital in Lincoln where he died from his injuries. The official report into the crash stated:

“The Court finds that the accident was caused through an error of judgement on the part of the pilot in attempting to turn the machine without sufficient bank.
There is no evidence that the machine was on fire in the air. This was evidently due to the bursting of the petrol tank on impact with the trees or the ground. Machine in perfect flying condition.”

Alfred’s body was returned to his parents in Melton and, on Thursday 21st June, he was buried in Woodbridge Cemetery. The Woodbridge Reporter and Wickham Market Gazette reported on Alfred’s funeral in the edition dated Thursday 21st June 1917:

“Military funeral at Woodbridge A full military funeral took place this (Thursday) afternoon at Woodbridge when the remains of Flight Sergeant Alfred Stephen Holmes, of the 61st Squadron RFC, son of Mr and Mrs Holmes of Chesapeake Villa, Melton, were interred at the cemetery. The deceased died on Monday at the Northern General Hospital, Lincoln from the result of an accident. He had been in the Army for several years, and had served in France.
The body was conveyed from the residence of the deceased parents, Melton Road, to Woodbridge Cemetery, on a gun carriage drawn by six black horses supplied by the Royal Artillery, the coffin being covered with a Union Jack, on which there were a number of floral tributes. The gun-carriage was preceded by a firing party from a Yeomanry regiment, followed by a squad of the Royal Flying Corps, after which came the mourning carriages containing the parents and relatives of the deceased.
The Rector (Rev R Denman-Dean) officiated, and at the close of the committal service three volleys were fired, and the last post was sounded by two trumpeters.”

 For his war service, Alfred received the 1914 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.

A full military funeral in Woodbridge, believe to be for Alfred Holmes who died of wounds from an aircraft accident on 18th June 1917.