Orders, Decorations and Medals

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin 1897 (Ch.7572 F. W. Holman, Pte., H.M.S. Theseus) late issue, extremely fine £100-140

Francis William Holman was born near Hingham, Norfolk on 22 August 1875. A Farm Labourer by occupation he entered the Royal Marines at Chatham on 9 October 1893. He served on the Theseus, January 1896-July 1897, during which time he served in the expedition against Benin City. He was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in November 1908. With the onset of the Great War he was serving aboard the armoured cruiser Cressy and was killed in action on 22 September 1914 when the vessel, in company with her sister ships, Aboukir and Hogue, was sunk by the German submarine U.9 in the North Sea. Some 1,400 lives were lost in the triple disaster. Private Holman was buried in The Hague General Cemetery. He was the husband of Emily Holman of 62 Arlington Street, Packington Street, Islington, London. Sold with copied service papers.