Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Battery Quartermaster Sergeant J. Hollington, Royal Horse Artillery

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast, unofficial rivets between first and second, and between fifth and sixth clasps (27369 Bomb: J. Hollington, A.B. R.H.A.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902, top lugs removed (27369 Bomb: F. Hollington. G. Bty. R.H.A.); 1914 Star (27369 Sjt. J. Hollington. R.H.A.); British War and Victory Medals (27369 B.Q.M. Sjt. J. Hollington. R.A.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (RA-27369 B.Q.M. Sjt: J. Hollington. R.H.A.) contact marks and edge bruising to the Boer War pair, therefore these nearly very fine; the rest better (6) £300-£400

John Hollington was born in Bethnal Green, Middlesex, on 2 June 1878 and attested for the Royal Horse Artillery at Dalston, Middlesex, on 19 April 1898. He served with both ‘A’ and ‘G’ Batteries in South Africa during the Boer War from 8 January 1900 to 2 September 1902, and was promoted Bombardier on 21 October 1901. He was advanced Sergeant on 24 May 1909, and saw further service during the Great War on the Western Front from 27 September 1914. Advanced Battery Quartermaster Sergeant, he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal per Army Order 68 of April 1917.

In civilian life Hollington was employed by Messrs Yardley & Co. Ltd, Stratford, and was congratulated by the company for ‘the cool and prompt manner in which he dealt with the fire caused by the incendiary bomb which fell through the Packing Shop roof in March 1941’, receiving a gratuity of £2.

Sold with the recipient’s original Soldier’s Small Book; a photograph of the recipient on holiday at Yarmouth in 1931; and other research.