Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Ordinary Signalman J. Holden, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Hampshire was sunk off Orkney, 5 June 1916

1914-15 Star (J.36105, J. Holden, Sig. Boy., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.36105 J. Holden. O.Sig. R.N.) in named card boxes of issue, extremely fine (3) £240-£280

John Holden was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, on 26 May 1898 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 2 March 1915. He joined H.M.S. Hampshire on 17 September 1915, and was advanced Ordinary Signalman on his 18th birthday, 26 May 1916. He was killed in action when the Hampshire, conveying Field Marshal Lord Kitchener on a diplomatic mission to Russia, struck a German-mine off Orkney on 5 June 1916 and sank within 15 minutes with the loss of 737 lives. There were only 12 survivors. Holden is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial