Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Gunner R. E. Porter, Maritime Regiment, Royal Artillery, who was killed in action when the S.S. Port Hunter was torpedoed by the German Submarine U-582 and sank 370 miles off Madeira, 11 June 1942

1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, small spot of verdigris to War Medal, otherwise nearly very fine (2) £50-£70

Reginald Freeman Porter was born in Parkstone in 1914 and served during the Second World War in the 7/4 Maritime Regiment, Royal Artillery. Employed as a D.E.M.S. Gunner in the S.S. Port Hunter, he was killed in action when she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-582 in the Atlantic Ocean 370 miles west south west of Madeira. At the time she was part of Convoy OS-33, en route from Liverpool to Auckland via Durban, with a cargo of ammunition and depth charges. Of her compliment of 91, there were only 3 survivors. Porter is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Note: Porter would also have been entitled to the Atlantic Star; however, the named Army Council enclosure slip states the number of medals issued as ‘2’.