as a gunnery instructor at HMS Excellent. By 1934 he was a rear admiral, and in 1937 he was aide-de-camp to King George VI. In the Second World War, Holland commanded the 7th Cruiser Squadron at the Battle of Cape Spartivento in November 1940. In May 1941 he commanded the Battlecruiser Squadron when it engaged the in the Battle of Denmark Strait. The magazine of Holland's flagship exploded, breaking her in two and sinking her. Holland was killed, along with all but three of Hoods company. The Admiral Holland pub in Bretch Hill, Banbury, was named after him. The pub was demolished in 2017. References Sources External links Middleton Cheney village website All Saints Church website Middleton Music Festival Mansion Hill Veterinary Practice Civil parishes in Northamptonshire Villages in Northamptonshire West Northamptonshire District