A Great War submariner's D.S.M. group of five awarded to Stoker Petty Officer W. E....

A Great War submariner’s D.S.M. group of five awarded to Stoker Petty Officer W. E. Holloway, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his deeds in the E-42 in April 1918, when she attacked and damaged the German battle cruiser Moltke during the last sortie made by the German High Seas Fleet into the North Sea Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (308926 W. E. Holloway, Sto. P.O. “E.42” North. Sea. 25 April 1918.); 1914-15 Star (308926 W. E. Holloway, L. Sto., R. N.); British War and Victory Medals (308926 W. E. Holloway. S.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (308926 W. E. Holloway, S.P.O. H.M.S. Inconstant.), together with silver anchor commissioning brooch (hallmarked Birmingham 1916) with scroll inscribed ‘H.M. Sub E42’, generally very fine (6) £1,200-£1,600 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.M. London Gazette 22 April 1919 The original recommendation states: ‘Admiralty 22 February/19. H.M. Submarine E-42. North Sea. 25 April 1918. Torpedoing of the German battle cruiser S.M.S. Moltke at 19.37 hours.’ William Edward Holloway was born in Camberwell, London on 12 May 1887, and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in September 1905, an engine driver by trade. Having volunteered for submarines just before the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he joined the E-42 under Lieutenant C. H. Allen, R.N., in June 1916, and remained likewise employed until September 1919. When, in April 1918, the German High Seas Fleet ventured out into the North Sea for a final time, Admiral Sir William ‘Blinker’ Hall and his boffins in Room 40 at the Admiralty intercepted assorted enemy signals, among them one sent by the S.M.S. Moltke. The game was quickly afoot to take advantage of such intelligence and, in the late afternoon of the 25th, E-42 located the enemy battle cruiser’s formation. Closing to 2,000 yards, Lieutenant Allen fired a spread of four torpedoes, one of which found its mark, abreast Moltke’s port engine room. The resultant explosion led to 1,700 tons of water flooding in, but Herculean work on the part of her engineering staff maintained steaming power and the battle cruiser eventually limped into port. E-42 was pursued for her troubles, but also made it back to port. Holloway, who was awarded the D.S.M., remained in the Senior Service after the war, and received the L.S. and G.C. Medal in October 1920, prior to being pensioned ashore in September 1927. He was recalled, however, aged 52, on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, his service record noting that he was located at the R.N.H. Chatham between May and September 1940. He was finally released ‘Class A’ in August 1945, direct from employment at Minos, the Lowestoft base.