Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Nine: Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel S. G. Hollingsworth, Royal Artillery, late Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, who flew operationally in the Kurdistan and Iraq operations 1919-20

British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut. S. G. Hollingsworth, R.A.F.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (1229 Gnr. S. G. Hollingsworth, R.A.); General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Kurdistan, Iraq, unofficial retaining rod between clasps (P./O. S. G. Hollingsworth, R.A.F.) surname officially corrected; 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Decoration, G.V.R., silver and silver-gilt, the reverse inscribed, ‘Major S. G. Hollingsworth, Royal Artillery, 23/2/32’, with integral top riband bar; mounted for display together with a Royal Artillery Officer’s cap badge; a Major’s rank crown; a R.A.F. cloth Pilot’s Wings; a R.A.F. Officer’s cap badge; and the recipient’s riband bar; minor contact marks and the earlier awards a little polished, otherwise generally very fine or better (9) £800-£1,000

Samuel Gerald Hollingsworth, who was born in September 1897 and educated at Westminster City School, and onetime a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery (Territorials), was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps in March 1918 and qualified as a pilot that June. Subsequently posted to 31st Wing in Mesopotamia, he joined 63 Squadron in February 1919, and 30 Squadron in March 1920, and participated in the Kurdistan and Iraq operations. He returned to the U.K. in May 1920, and was placed on the Unemployed List. Returning to civilian life, but retaining his interest in the Territorial Army, Hollingsworth was awarded his Efficiency Decoration while serving as a Major in 103rd (Suffolk) Field Brigade, R.A. (London Gazette 24 May 1932), and was advanced to the temporary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in August 1942.