James Holmes played alongside his good friend Ron Jacobson for the Balmain Kia-Ora club. Originally from Newcastle, Holmes was working as a labourer when the war broke out.
Holmes enlisted on 17 January 1916, the same day as Jacobson, and joined the same unit, the 7 Field Artillery Brigade, where he served as a driver.
Jacobson was killed at Villers-Bretonneux on the same day as Ron Jacobson. In August 1918 in Sydney, Balmain Kia-Ora players sported black armbands for their match against YMCA in memory of both Holmes and Jacobson.