Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Chief Steward J. A. Peterson, B.E.M., Merchant Navy

British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals 1914-18 (John A. Peterson); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine or better (6) £120-150

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners.

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John Alfred Peterson was born in Stockholm in August 1881 and served in the Mercantile Marine in the Great War.

Still serving as a Chief Steward on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, he joined the S.S. Atlantic in May 1941 and remained similarly employed until removing to the Fort Norman in December 1943, in which period he was present in Arctic convoys JW. 53 and RA. 54B, the former witnessing some of the worst weather on record - six merchantmen were forced to return to the U.K. in addition to two escorting vessels, including the cruiser Sheffield. Peterson was duly awarded the B.E.M. ‘For defence against air attacks whilst in a North Russian convoy and in port’ (London Gazette 12 September 1944 refers).

The Fort Norman was his final wartime appointment, in which ship he was present off Normandy in the summer of 1944, and he finally came ashore in July 1953; sold with copied service record and further information.