Three: Captain H.L. Holman-Hunt, Indian Army

British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.); Delhi Durbar 1911 (H. L. Holman-Hunt) this last renamed, mounted for wear, good very fine (3) £50-70

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer.

View
Collection

M.I.D. London Gazette 11 July 1919 (Haig, France)

Hiliary Lushington Holman-Hunt was born on 6 May 1879, the son of W. Holman-Hunt, O.M., D.C.L. Educated at Wellington, Heidelburg and the R.I.E.C., Coopers Hill, he joined the Public Works Department, Burma in 1901. In 1907 he was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in bronze and received a further award in the following year. During the Great War he served in India and France as a Captain in the I.A.R.O., attached 29th Company, Indian Labour Corps, and was mentioned in despatches. Post-war he was Chief Engineer and Secretary to the Government, retiring in 1933. For his services he was awarded the C.I.E. in 1917. Latterly living at Rockland-all-Saints, Attleborough, Norfolk; he died on 10 September 1949.

Awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in bronze:

‘On 22nd September 1907, a man in some way fell into the river Aare at Thonne, Switzerland. Major H. C. Holman (sic), Indian Army, who was present, at once jumped in and succeeded in saving him’ (R.H.S. Case No. 35,674). Note R.H.S. report and presumably the medal (not with lot) gives the name ‘H. C. Holman’.

Listed as being awarded another R.H.S. Medal in bronze (unsuccessful) ‘On the 27th September 1907, a woman fell from a boat into the River Irrawaddy, at Sagaing, Upper Burma, the river being in flood and 20 feet deep. Holman Hunt swam out and caught her, but being dragged under water had to let go and save himself’ (R.H.S. Case No. 35,855).

See also The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood & The Royal Humane Society, by Bill Fevyer, L.S.A.R.S. Journal, Vol. 35, p.27-29. Sold with copied research.