A Collection of Awards to the R.F.C. and R.A.F. formed by Wing Commander Bill Traynor

Four: Flight Sergeant W. C. Holding, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps, who was twice mentioned in despatches and a recipient of the Khedive’s Sudan Medal

1914-15 Star (2371 1 A.M., R.F.C.), second initial ‘G.’; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (2371 F. Sgt., R.A.F.); Khedive’s Sudan 1910-21, second type, no clasp (2371 1 A./M., R.F.C.), officially impressed naming, initials ‘C. W.’, generally very fine or better and the last rare (4) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the R.F.C. and R.A.F. formed by Wing Commander Bill Traynor.

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William Charles Holding, who was born in St. Helens, Lancashire, enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps in November 1914, and was advanced to Air Mechanic 1st Class in July 1915. Posted overseas that November, it seems probable that he won his Khedive’s Sudan Medal for services in the Darfur operations of March to December 1916, for which 23 members of No. 17 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, were awarded the appropriate clasp, and another 37 members of the same unit a no-clasp Medal - unfortunately his service record omits any details regarding individual unit postings (but does indeed confirm the despatch of this award in August 1922).

Holding subsequently served on the Salonika front, was advanced to Sergeant in February 1917 and was mentioned in despatches by Milne (London Gazette 28 November 1917 refers), the latter possibly being connected to the fact he received a severe eye wound in August of the same year (telegram from the O.C. of 18 Stationary Hospital refers). Transferred to the newly established Royal Air Force as a Chief Mechanic in April 1918, he won a second “mention” from Allenby for services in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 19 September 1918 to 31 January 1919 (London Gazette 5 March 1919 refers). His wound, however, developed serious complications, and he was discharged in April 1919 as a result of the ‘loss of an eye’; he was awarded the Silver War Badge (No. 10319).