A Great War ‘Grimsby Chums’ M.C. group of three to Captain S. Y. Holloway, 10th Battalion (Grimsby Chums), Lincolnshire Regiment

Military Cross G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in case of issue; British War and Victory Medals (Capt. S. Y. Holloway.) extremely fine (3) £600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Gallantry Awards to the Lincolnshire Regiment.

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M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1918:
‘For distinguished service in connection with Military Operations in France and Flanders.’

Stanley York Holloway was born in Ardwick, Lancashire, in 1893, the son of William and Mary Holloway. He was educated at Worksop College and his home address on his medal index card is given as Westleigh, Mauldeth Road, Heaton Mersey.
He was commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant in the 10th (Service) Battalion (Grimsby), Lincolnshire Regiment on the day of the Battalion’s original formation, 9 September 1914. He was later advanced to Temporary Lieutenant on 24 November 1915 and Temporary Captain on 16 October 1917.

The 10th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, originally raised as the ‘Grimsby Chums’ by the Mayor and Town of Grimsby, went to France on 9 January 1916. Their first major action was on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. The Grimsby Chums were in the first wave attacking the fortified village of La Boisselle:
‘At 7.28am there was a terrific roar as a mine went up at the south-western corner of the La Boiselle Salient, forming an immense crater about one hundred yards in diameter. Punctually to the moment, the Royal Scots and 10th Lincolnshire advanced to the attack. The General Officer Commanding Division (Ingouville-Williams) said of the advance of his troops:
“Never have I seen men go through such a barrage of artillery… They advanced as on parade and never flinched.”
The Germans put down a terrific barrage as the advance started. A stream of shrapnel and high explosive and intense enfilade machine-gun fire from la Boisselle and Heligoland (i.e. on both flanks) swept the battalions as they attempted to cross No Man’s Land. With the utmost steadiness and courage not to be surpassed by any troops in the world, they gallantly tried to get across that terrible space between the opposing lines.’ (The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918 by Major-General C. R. Simpson, C.B. refers.)

Just a handful of men made it to the German trenches. The 10th Battalion war diary states they went into the action with twenty officers, only five of whom came back unwounded. The Grimsby Chums would go on to see action in 1917 at the Battle of Arras and the Third Battle of Ypres and in 1918 during the Battle of the Lys.

For his services during the Great War Holloway was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 18 December 1917), and awarded the Military Cross. He relinquished his commission on completion of service on 6 February 1919, and retained the rank of Captain. He died in Cheshire in 1961.