World War One

WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION

WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION
WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION
WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION
WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION
WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION
WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION

WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION

A truly superb family group of medals to a family of Russian imigrants who settled in Sunderland. Including the medals of a 14 year old deck boy who was killed in action in 1917 serving with the Mercantile Marine (Merchant Navy). All the medals in the group are full size original medals that are correctly & officially named as issued & come complete with the original issue silk medal ribbons. 1 British War medal & Mercantile Marine War medal medal to -JOHN.

John Alfred Roch was born in Sunderland & is to be found on the 1911 census return as a eight year old school boy living with his parents and younger brother at 18 North Hedley street, Millfield, Sunderland. He was killed in action AGE 14 on the 16th of February 1917. Serving as a deck boy on the S.

Morton, She was sunk 16-2-1917 by a torpedo from the German submarine UB-21. Approximatley 3 nautical miles East by South of Scarborough. She was on route from Sunderland to Rochester with a cargo of coal.

All of the dead are commemorated on the Tower Hill memorial to the Merchant services in London & the Commonwealth War Graves Commission state that JOHN. Was the 14 year old son of John & Mary Isabelle Roch of 27 North Hedley Street, Sunderland. Alfred Roch is said to be the youngest casualty from the North East of England during WW1 and is one of only a small selection of 14 year old boys to die in WW1. 2 Single British War Medal to- JOHN. John Roch was born in Russia in 1876 but became a British Subject in 1908.

He can be found on the 1911 census working as a shipyard crane driver and living with his wife and two young sons at 18 North Hedley street, Millfield, Sunderland. He survived his service in WW1 and is also entitled to the Mercantile Marine War medal but this is sadly missing from the Group. He was the father of John. Alfred Roch (The medals and details as listed above).

3 Empty box of issue for WW2 campaign medals. This is addressed to Mr. Roch of Barnard castle, County Durham. I have not researched this mans relationship to the two other members of the family but i suspect that he was a younger son that was born after 1911 and hence is not on the 1911 census with the rest of the family? (This box has seen better days, the address is hard to read & it has some pen marks on the front). The medals to John Roch & John.

Roch are in near mint E. F condition are still retain the original silk medal ribbons. Complete with census details, Mercantile Marine War medal index cards, Commonwealth War Graves Commission details & Tower hill Memorial details. All buyers must pay within 48 hours of the end of the sale. The item "WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION" is in sale since Monday, January 11, 2016.

This item is in the category "Collectables\Militaria\World War I (1914-1918)\Medals/ Ribbons". The seller is "themedalcentre" and is located in Hexham. This item can be shipped worldwide.

  • Type: Medals & Ribbons
  • Era: 1914-1945
  • Conflict: World War I (1914-1918)
  • Service: Navy
  • Country/ Organization: Great Britain
  • Issued/ Not-Issued: Issued
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom


WW1 PAIR OF MERCANTILE MARINE MEDALS TO A 14 YEAR OLD DECK BOY, KILLED IN ACTION