A scarce Canada General Service medal awarded to Lieutenant John Holland, Royal Marine Light Infantry

Canada General Service 1866-70, 1 clasp, Fenian Raid 1866 (Lieut. J. Holland Royal Marines) officially impressed naming, good very fine £1000-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The John Goddard Collection of Important Naval Medals and Nelson Letters.

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Provenance: Sotheby, November 1986.

Only 24 medals awarded to the Royal Marines, including just three awards to officers.

John Holland was born in about 1842, eldest son of Colonel John Holland, R.M., of Sutton Lodge, Pembrokeshire. He was commissioned into the Royal Marines on 12 May 1859, and was posted to the Chatham Division. In December 1859 he was appointed to H.M.S. Centurion in the Channel squadron, and a few weeks later to the Conqueror, in the same squadron. At the end of 1861 Conqueror was on the North American and West Indies station until early the following year.

Holland was promoted to First Lieutenant on 6 March 1862, and two days later joined Hero on the North American and West Indies station until the end of that year. In March 1865 he was appointed to Pylades, on the same station, and whilst in that ship he took part in the campaign against the Fenians in June 1866, returning home at the end of that year. His last service afloat was aboard the Revenge, which he joined in April 1867. He was placed on the Retired List on half-pay on 6 February 1871, and in about 1874 he commuted his pension. Captain Holland died in London on 4 July 1907, aged 65.