British War Medal (164114 PTE. T. HOLLOWELL. 75-CAN. INF.); and Victory Medal (164114 PTE. T. HOLLOWELL. 75-CAN. INF.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, dark patina on the BWM, gilt wear on the VM, both with contact marks, original ribbons, very fine.
Accompanied by his Identification Tag (in aluminum, stamped "164114 T HOLLOWELL" on the obverse and "75 P" on the reverse, measuring 38.5 mm in diameter, full-length shoestring fed through the die hole at the top); a Canadian Expeditionary Force for Service at the Front Badge (in bronze with red, white and blue enamels, number impressed "35381" on the reverse, measuring 22.2 mm in diameter, screwback); a 75th Infantry Battalion Cap Badge (in browning copper, maker marked "ELLIS BROS 1915" on the reverse, measuring 47.3 mm (w) x 47.8 mm (h), both lugs and pin intact); a Spadina Military Hospital Daily Appointment Card (named to Hollowell and dated October 17, 1917, printed in black ink on an off-white paper stock, with personalized inscriptions in handwritten black ink, measuring 105 mm (w) x 127 mm (h), fold marks); and a Photograph of Private Hollowell in Uniform (in black and white, gloss finish, obverse illustrating Private Hollowell standing in front a tent, hold a rifle upright in his right hand against his side, with two other soldiers peering out from inside the tent, reverse with a postcard-style backer and inscribed in handwritten blue ink "T. Hollowell / 1st World War / June 11 - 1915 / 84th Battalion / Niagara-on-Lake (sic)", measuring 88 mm (w) x 140 mm (h)).
Footnote: Thomas Hollowell was born on September 16, 1895 in Sunderland, Durham, England. He signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (164114) with the 84th Infantry Battalion, on September 2, 1915 at Niagara Camp, at the age of 19, naming his next-of-kin as his uncle, A. Prince of Brantford, Ontario, stating that he was with an Active Militia, having served for six months with the Dufferin Rifles in Brantford, that he was not married, that his religion was Church of England and that his trade was that of Boilermaker. Just before departing for overseas, he was admitted to Exhibition Camp Hospital in Toronto with a case of "Tonsillitis" on June 8, 1916. After six days treatment, he was discharged from hospitalization on the 14th, having made a "Good Recovery". The Battalion was raised and mobilized in Toronto, Ontario under the authority of G.O. 103A, August 15, 1915 and sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the Empress of Britain, on June 18, 1916, with a strength of 36 officers and 913 other ranks under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W.D. Stewart, arriving in England on the 28th. Once in England, the Battalion was was broken up and absorbed into the 73rd and 75th Infantry Battalions, with Hollowell absorbed by the 75th Infantry Battalion on June 30th. Private Hollowell received his orders to proceed overseas for service in the French theatre with the 75th Infantry Battalion, on August 11, 1916, arriving at Le Havre on August 12th.
He was in action on October 19, 1916 when he experienced "Shell Shock" from an nearby exploding shell. He was admitted to No. 11 Canadian Field Ambulance on the 20th, then transferred to the Casualty Clearing Station the same day. The following day, he was transferred to No. 58 Field Ambulance on the 21st, where he would remain for three days before rejoining his unit in the field on the 24th. One month later, Private Hollowell was in action in the Somme on November 21, 1916, when he suffered a gun shot wound to his left shoulder, the bullet entered his back and passing through to his front. He was admitted the same day to No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, where the decision was made that he be invalided to England. Upon arrival in England, he was admitted to Edmonton Military Hospital in London on the 22nd, where surgery was performed on the wound. He would spend the next nine weeks recovering in London, before being transferred to the Ontario Military Hospital at Orpington, Kent for recuperation on January 24, 1917. The wound was severe enough that the decision was made to invalid him to Canada, so after twenty-six days at Orpington, he returned to Canada aboard the Hospital Ship S.S. Esquibo on February 19, 1917. Upon arrival at Military District No. 2 in Toronto he was placed under the control of the Military Hospitals Commission Command (MHCC). He was admitted to the Spadina Military Hospital, Class "2" on March 16, 1917 and shuffled back and forth between there and the base hospital for the next seven months, the last stay at Spadina from October 17th to 23rd as an "outpatient pending discharge". Private Hollowell, 75th Infantry Battalion was discharged from service at Military District No. 2 in Toronto om December 31, 1917, as having been "Invalided to Canada on the authority of a Medical Board", credited with having served in Canada, England and France. For his First World War service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He died on July 25, 1972 in Brantford, at the age of 76.