Lot 2382

Description

British War Medal 1914-18 to KIA. S.Lt. R.N.C.Hodge. R.N.R. Impressed. Very fine.

Entitled to Victory Medal 1914-19.
Roy Norman Clare Hodge, merchant naval officer, born 23Jun1892 at Clare, Sth Aust; educated at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide, Sth Aust; apprentice on the barque Inverneill for 4 years and then 2nd Mate on the barque Inverurie; had received First Mates ticket by the start of WWI; Enl. in Army as a Sgt Signaller in the English University and Public Schools' Brigade; after a sojourn in the camp at Epsom he switched to the RN Reserve and was appointed to the armoured cruiser HMS Petuca but this was subsequently changed to the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Viknor in Dec1914; joined B Patrol 10th Cruiser Sqn in North Atlantic 01Jan1915; KIA 13Jan1915 aboard HMS Viknor believed to have struck a mine laid by the German Auxiliary Cruiser Berlin and sank in rough seas off Tory Island, County Donegal, Ireland with the loss of all men on board; commemorated at Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England and Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide, South Australia. His name is also on the Commemorative Roll at The Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
With research.