Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Chief Engine Room Artificer Joseph Holding, Royal Navy
Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11th July (E.R. Artfr., H.M.S. “Bittern”); East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin 1897 (Ch. E.R.A., H.M.S. Phoebe); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Eng. Rm. Artif., H.M.S. Tamar) impressed naming; Khedive’s Star 1882, together with an original handwritten diary kept by the recipient for the period December 1880 to May 1884, the Diary a little loose in its covers and tatty at the edges, the medals with some contact wear but generally very fine or better and rare with a contemporary diary (5) £600-800

Holding’s diary is of great interest and provides a detailed record of the commission of H.M.S. Bittern, which he joined in November 1881, including a commentary on the progress of the war in Egypt, and a good description of the bombardment of Alexandria in July 1882. The diary, which is approximately 150 pages, also contains technical notes and a good deal of poetry.