An important historical medal group awarded to the Johnston family of Litherland.
The main most important group belongs to Hugh Robert Johnston, who first served as a boy with the Royal Navy, his records show him at china station, but was dismissed after a few years for striking an officer.
He then went on to serve in the merchant marine, working for Cunard, at the outbreak of WW1 he was still with Cunard and was head Quartermaster aboard the Lusitania.
On the fateful day Lusitania was sunk he was actually at the wheel when she was struck with a German torpedo.
He states in his own accounts that he was second to last to leave the bridge of the ship as it sank, only the captain staying longer.
He went on to survive the sinking and was pivotal in the later inquest.
He continued with Cunard until jumping ship in Canada, where he joined the Canadian army.
Seeing on the western front at battles such as vimy ridge.
For WW1 he was awarded the mercantile marine medal, and the war and victory medal with the Canadians .
He continued to work for Cunard during the interwar years.
During WW2 he was aboard the Lancastria when she was sunk by a German JU88 of the French coast.
He was invalided out of sea service after this due to rope burns to his hands from lowering lifeboats and ingestion of oil from being in the water after abandoning ship.
He received the 39/45 star and war medals for WW2.
He was then a shore side sailor working for Cunard till retirement.
(This is a brief summary for Hugh Robert Johnston)
The other medals in this group are his younger brother he whilst fighting in France serving with the Lancashire fusiliers (Salford Pals)
Awarded the War and Victory medals, sadly his death plaque is lost to time.
The other groups are both Mercantile Marine pairs, one st to his older brother and the other set to his brother in law.
Please see the link below for a much more detailed description of Hugh Robert Johnston
https://www.rmslusitania.info/people/deck/hugh-johnston/
This is a well researched and very interesting group and serious buyers can contact me for all the proper relevant original research.m
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£4,500.00Price

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