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Auction: 17003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 579

A notable Second World War and post-war minesweeping campaign group of five Commander J. S. Roe, D.S.C., who was also thrice mentioned in despatches

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, G.VI.R., 2nd type, 1 clasp, Minesweeping 1945-51 (Cdr. J. S. Roe, D.S.C., R.N.R.), the 1939-45 awards in their original card forwarding box addressed to 'Cdr. J. S. Roe, D.S.C., c/o The Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 148, Singapore', extremely fine (5)

John Stanley Roe was born in Derbyshire in 1907, the son of the managing director of Roe and Harrison Ltd., iron founders. A merchant seaman by profession, he qualified as a Master Mariner in the period leading up to the outbreak of hostilities and was commissioned as a Temporary Lieutenant in the R.N.V.R. in October 1939, direct from the Wavy Navy's Supplementary Reserve.

He was quickly appointed to the command of the minesweeping yacht Aconia, in which capacity he won his first mention in despatches (London Gazette 1 January 1941, refers). The award reflected gallant services off Dunkirk, when Aconia came under constant bombing attack and came away with 42 troops.

Having then transferred to the Royal Naval Reserve in May 1941, he joined the Sheerness minesweeping base St. Tudno. It was in this capacity that he was awarded the D.S.C. (London Gazette 11 June 1942, refers) and another 'mention' (London Gazette 1 January 1942, refers). He was invested with his D.S.C. at Buckingham Palace on 17 November 1942.

Advanced to the temporary rank of Commander in the summer of 1944, Roe next commanded the minesweeper Jasper until March 1945, when he was appointed C.O. of the Algerine-class minesweeper Liberty in early 1945. It was in this latter capacity - and as Senior Officer of the 10th Minesweeping Flotilla - that he won his third 'mention' for clearance operations on the Elbe and Weser in the period March-June 1945 (London Gazette 13 November 1945, refers).


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Sold for
£520