Product Details
IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED
AN INTERESTING AND RARE P.I.A.T. LUNCHEON MENU,
held at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham, on the 17th November 1944 and given in honour of Company Sergeant Major Stanley Elton Hollis, V.C. of the Green Howards, and Lance Corporal Francis Arthur Jefferson, V.C. of the Lancashire Fusiliers, the cover illustration a print of a work by Terence Cuneo, the menu also with the official dispatches of the deeds for which the V.C. medals were awarded, the rear of the menu with the meal of 'Hors D'oeuvre - Poultry, Vegetables - Sweet - Coffee'
Provenance: Stanley Hollis was born in Middlesbrough, and worked in his father's fish and chip shop. In 1929 he became an apprentice to a Whitby shipping company, to learn to be a Navigation Officer. He made regular voyages to West Africa but in 1930 he fell ill with blackwater fever which ended his merchant navy career.
In 1939 he enlisted as a Territorial Army volunteer in 4th Battalion, The Green Howards, and went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940 where he was employed as the Commanding Officer's dispatch rider. He was promoted from Lance Corporal to Sergeant during the evacuation from Dunkirk. He then fought from El Alamein to Tunis as part of the British 8th Army in the North African Campaign. Hollis was appointed Company Sergeant Major just before the invasion of Sicily in 1943 where he was wounded at the battle of Primosole Bridge.
in Normandy on 6 June 1944 Company Sergeant-Major Hollis went with his company commander to investigate two German pill-boxes which had been by-passed as the company moved inland from the beaches. "Hollis instantly rushed straight at the pillbox, firing his Sten gun into the first pill-box, He jumped on top of the pillbox, re-charged his magazine, threw a grenade in through the door and fired his Sten gun into it, killing two Germans and taking the remainder prisoners.
Later the same day... C.S.M. Hollis pushed right forward to engage the [field] gun with a PIAT [anti-tank weapon] from a house at 50 yards range... He later found that two of his men had stayed behind in the house...In full view of, the enemy who were continually firing at him, he went forward alone...distract their attention from the other men. Under cover of his diversion, the two men were able to get back.
Wherever the fighting was heaviest...[he]...appeared, displaying the utmost gallantry... It was largely through his heroism and resource that the Company's objectives were gained and casualties were not heavier. ....he saved the lives of many of his men.
Francis Arthus Jefferson was born in 1921, and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the Battle of Monte Cassino where during an attack on the Gustav Line, Monte Cassino, Italy, the leading company of Fusilier Jefferson's battalion had to dig in without protection.
The enemy counter-attacked opening fire at short range, and Fusilier Jefferson on his own initiative seized a PIAT gun and, running forward under a hail of bullets, fired on the leading tank. It burst into flames and its crew were killed. The fusilier then reloaded and went towards the second tank which withdrew before he could get within range. By this time, British tanks had arrived and the enemy counter-attack was smashed.
Please click HERE to view Terms & Conditions.
Estimate £200-300