Maj Gen Holmes who was found hanged at home after losing his job and marriage was ‘sacked by email’
Ex-head of the Royal Marines, 54, who was found hanged at home after losing his job and marriage breakdown was ‘sacked by email’, friends claim
Friends say Maj Gen Matthew Holmes ‘sacked over email’ and ‘treated like s***’ The ex-head of Royal Marines, 54, was found hanged in his Winchester home Maj Holmes spoke of feeling ‘constrained’ by senior staff prior to his death
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The former head of the Royal Marines was ‘sacked over email’ and ‘ignored’ by senior Ministry of Defence figures in the months prior to him taking his own life.
Major General Matthew Holmes, 54, was found in a bedroom at the home in Winchester, Hampshire, on October 2.
Maj Gen Holmes, who had also recently split with his wife, Lea, spoke in April of feeling ‘constrained’ in his role by the head of the Armed Forces, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin.
Leaked messages showed Maj Gen Holmes telling friends last year: ‘I don’t trust Radakin. I feel beaten down, not listened to, merely run over by someone with no military judgment. It’s been awful. Awful.’
But those close to him and speaking at his funeral at Winchester Cathedral this week claimed he was ‘treated like s***’ over his three-year stint as the Commandant General Royal Marines and was ultimately sacked via email, reports the Times.
MailOnline understands the decision to see him removed from his post in favour of a more senior figure was not made to him in person. The MoD did not respond to request for comment on this.
Major General Matthew Holmes was found hanged at his home in Winchester, Hampshire, on October 2 after having ‘concerns’ about his career and his marriage. He is pictured with his wife Lea and daughter Eleanor after receiving the award at Buckingham Palace in 2007
Friends claimed Maj Gen Holmes was ‘treated like s***’ over his three-year stint as the Commandant General Royal Marines and was ultimately sacked via email Above: Major General Matthew Holmes receives the Distinguished Service Order from the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2007
The decorated officer, who served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, was Commandant General from June 2019 until April 2021.
Major General Holmes commanded 42 Commando Royal Marines from 2006 to 2008 and was appointed as a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership on operations in Afghanistan in 2007.
The father-of-two was also awarded a CBE in 2019 and has been described as ‘one of our most senior and highly decorated Royal Marines’. His inquest was adjourned for a full hearing on February 10, 2022.
It comes after a war of words raged over Navy top brass mudslinging surrounding his death, with relatives said to have been angered by naval officials who raced to ‘settle scores and pass the buck’ over his mental health.
A friend, speaking anonymously at his funeral on Wednesday, told the Times: ‘He was trying to sustain the identity of the Royal Marines and yet he was completely ignored and treated like s***. He was sacked by email.’
Navy sources rebuked that claim and indicated Maj Gen Holmes was ‘involved in discussions’ in the months leading up to the decision.
Major General Matthew Holmes was a pallbearer at Prince Philip’s funeral during the procession to the steps of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in April. He is pictured speaking to Sky News before the service
The funeral for the 54-year-old was held at Winchester Cathedral. It was attended by his widow, Lea, and a gathering of 600 people, including senior naval officers
His wife, Lea delivered a eulogy at his funeral on Wednesday, in which she urged mourners ‘not to believe’ rumours surrounding his suicide.
Prior to his death, Maj Gen Holmes had told colleagues he was struggling to cope with Britain’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
It also emerged that police attended another incident at the home on September 22, in which a shotgun was seized from his home after a concern for welfare call.
A source close to Sir Tony Radakin, who was named Chief of Defence staff last week, said his family had been friends with the Holmeses for more than 20 years and were devastated by his death, claiming conflict with Sir Tony contributed to the decline in his mental health.
The source explained critics would be left with ‘red faces’ when the truth emerged, and blamed ‘people with agendas’ for the mudslinging.
Major General Holmes had split from his wife Lea and lost his job as Commandant General.
He and Sir Tony, 55, had been close friends, but fell out over changes to the Marines. It led to Major General Holmes leaving his post in April, halfway through his three-year role.
A friend of the Holmes family said Sir Tony and his deputy, Vice Admiral Nicholas Hine, had played a role in Major General Holmes’s decision to leave his job.
The friend said: ‘The poor family haven’t even had time to bury him and certain naval factions are already trying to settle scores and pass the buck. It is so undignified, unfair. Ultimately… the truth will out.
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