A Calcutta based 'Master Mariners' World Wars campaign medal group of 7: Captain James Robert Thomas Johnson, Master Mariner, Asiatic Steam Navigation Company, Mercantile Marine

- British War Medal. Silver issue (J. R. T. Johnson.)
- Mercantile Marine War Medal (J. R. T. Johnson.)
- The 1939-1945 Star
- The Atlantic Star
- The Africa Star. With clasp 'North Africa 1942-43'
- The Burma Star
- War Medal

All medals verified as entitled / issued per below medal rolls & medal index cards:

- British War Medal (Ref BT 351/1/71217)
- Mercantile Marine War Medal (ref BT 351/1/71217)
- The 1939-1945 Star (Ref BT 395/1/49681)
- The Atlantic Star (Ref BT 395/1/49681)
- The Africa Star. 'North Africa 1942-43' (Ref BT 395/1/49681)
- The Burma Star (Ref BT 395/1/49681)
- War Medal (Ref BT 395/1/49681)

James Robert Thomas Johnson, son of Albert Johnson (a 'Watch-Maker') & Betsy Johnson (nee Parry ) was a native of, Birkenhead, England, where he was born on, 3 January 1901. During the Great War, James, who was an apprenticed 'cadet' in the Mercantile Marine, had sailed upon below vessels during the period of hostilities - and had only been 14 years of age - when he had maid his maiden voyage!

- 'Oweenee', steel hulled four masted 'Barque' 22/07/1915 to 13/03/1917 rating 'Boy'

-'Oweenee', steel hulled four masted 'Barque', 11/06/1917 to 28/12/1917 rating Cadet

- S.S. Dongarra', steamship of 3554 tonnage , 11/04/1918 to 14/07/1918, rating Ordinary Seaman (OS)

- 'Inversnaid', steel hulled three masted 'Barque' (Aberdeen registered) 17/07/1918 to 18/03/1919, rating Able Seaman (AB)

In the period 1919-1920, the period immediately prior to passing his Second Mates Certificate for a Foreign Going Ship, James had made several other voyages upon below vessels:

- S.S. Hector, steamship of 3005 tonnage (Liverpool Registered), 15/06/1919 to 02/11/1919 rating Seaman

- S.S. Hector, steamship of 3005 tonnage (Liverpool Registered), 12/01/1920 to 22/05/1920 rating Able Seaman (AB)

-S.S. Changuinola, steamship of 3552 tonnage (Bristol Registered), 04/06/1920 to 16/07/1920 rating Able Seaman (AB)

-S.S. Changuinola, steamship of 3552 tonnage (Bristol Registered), 23/07/1920 to 30/08/1920 rating Able Seaman (AB)

Shortly after passing his Second Mates Certificate of a Foreign Going Ship, at Liverpool on 27 September 1920 in 1920, with the 'Ticket' issued to him on 8 October 1920, James accepted an appointment based in Calcutta, British India, as a 'Ships Officer' with the Asiatic Steam Navigation Company, and as a passenger en-route to take up appointment is recorded as having sailed as a passenger on the British India Steam Navigation Company's ship S.S. Manora sailing from, London, England, on 19 November 1920, bound for Calcutta. James became a long term resident of, Calcutta, British India, from where, over a period of about 26 years years he plied his trade as a ships officer and later 'Master Mariner' on vessels owned and or managed by the Asiatic Steam Navigation Company. In 1938, at Calcutta, British India, James, married Gertrude Ellen Hullock (a widow). During the Second World War, Captain Johnson, sailed 'In-Command', across both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. On 3 December 1946 he returned to the United Kingdom, at which time he was described as a Master Mariner. He died on 27 February 1974 at Morfa Nefyn, Caernarvonshire, Wales

Asiatic Steam Navigation Company: This company was formed in 1878 the Liverpool Merchants, Turner & Co. and their Calcutta associates, Turner, Morrison & Co. to operate cargo and passenger services in the Bay of Bengal. Although owned and registered in the U.K, the company's ships were based in Calcutta and rarely returned to Britain.

Initially the company's trade was initially coastal plying the routes to/from; Calcutta, Ceylon, Bombay and numerous smaller ports, but this was soon extended to include Chittagong (East Bengal), together with the Burmese ports of Rangoon & Moulmein. Further expansion took place in 1892 when a route between Calcutta and Java (Netherlands East Indies) via Malayan ports was opened. Later, the Indian Government mail contract to the Andaman Islands was won which also - by default included the transportation of convicts from British India to the penal settlement at Port Blair

The company suffered a number of losses during both World Wars: Five ships were lost during the Great War and eight were lost during World War II. In 1935 a controlling interest in A.S.N.Co. was acquired by British India S.N. Co. After the independence of India, the Java - India sugar and Burma - India rice trades were lost and in 1961 the remaining shares in the company were bought by the P & O group and the company was later fully absorbed into P & O.

The medal mounted in the swing-style and as-worn by the recipient. The medal mounting bar retaining the original long hinged pin and clasp fittings

Sold together with some copied research

An eminently researchable group, with regards to the 'exotic' history of the many sailings & voyages carried out by this Calcutta based 'Master Mariner'

Condition: GVF

Code: 20954