CHIEF PETTY OFFICER A.J. HOLLOWAY, ROYAL NAVY, WHO WAS AWARDED THE ROYAL NAVAL MERITORIOUS

CHIEF PETTY OFFICER A.J. HOLLOWAY, ROYAL NAVY, WHO WAS AWARDED THE ROYAL NAVAL MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL IN 1918 FOR SERVICE ABOARD H.M.S. OWL, THE LEAD DESTROYER OF THE 4TH DESTROYER FLOTILLA. Five: 1914-15 Star (officially impressed: 179970, A.J. HOLLOWAY, P.O.1. R.N.) British War and Victory Medals (officially impressed: 179970 A.J. HOLLOWAY, C.P.O. R.N.) Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, George V (officially impressed: 179970 A.J. HOLLOWAY, P.O. 1CL, H.M.S. HECLA) Royal Naval Meritorious Service Medal, George V (officially impressed: 179970. A.J. HOLLOWAY C.P.O. “OWL” PATROL 1918.). Generally Almost Extremely Fine to Extremely Fine and accompanied by the recipient’s original Royal Navy issue bosun’s whistle (War Department “crow’s foot” markings to body) and plated neck chain for wearing.

Group accompanied by 2 pages of copied service papers, London Gazette extract confirming award of M.S.M. and copied notes re. some of the ships that Holloway served aboard.

Arthur John Holloway was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire, on 7/3/1879. He enlisted into the Royal Navy on 7/3/1897 and at the time of enlistment gave his trade as that of boot maker. He was eventually discharged to shore on demobilisation at the end of WW1 on 29/12/1919, having joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Portsmouth on 3/3/1919.

Holloway’s Royal Naval Meritorious Service Medal was announced in the London Gazette of 11/4/1919. His M.S.M. was one of 621 awarded to Royal Navy personnel during WW1, out of a total of 1,022 awarded to all naval units (Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Marine Light Infantry, etc).

Holloway saw service aboard HMS Owl from 10/6/1916 to 16/10/1919, on secondment from various ships and shore bases. HMS Owl was the lead destroyer of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla. The 4th Destroyer Flotilla was employed escorting inbound convoys through the Western approaches and defending them from attack by German submarines, the flotilla being commanded by Captain (later Rear Admiral) Arthur Edmond Wood.

Holloway saw service aboard HMS Hecla 20/2/1912 to 20/4/1912.