Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Commodore J. V. Langford, C.B.E., Mercantile Marine

British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (John V. Langford); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, the Atlantic Star cleaned, otherwise nearly extremely fine (6) £80-£100

Approximately 8 C.B.E.s awarded to the Merchant Navy for the Second World War.

C.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1946: Captain John Vivian Langford, Master, m.v. “Reina del Pacifico”, Pacific Steam Navigation Company Ltd.

John Vivian Langford was born in Gloucestershire on 18 January 1886, the son of Walter Hicks Langford, a Master Mariner, and was employed his entire working life with the Pacific Steam Navigation Company Ltd. He served during the Great War as Second Officer in the Oronsa, an 8,000 ton liner which was torpedoed and sunk in 1918 (although it is not known whether Langford was serving in her at the time); and during the Second World War in the Reina del Pacifico, in which ship he served as Master from 1944 onwards, and commanded her during her repatriation voyages. For his services during the Second World War he was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1946 New Year’s Honours’ List. He emigrated to Australia in 1955, and died that same year, his grave stone giving his rank as Commodore.

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