Awarded to Robert Samuel Nodes (1889-1916). Obverse: Head of King George V (left). Legend: 'GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP:' Reverse: Within a laurel garland in relief, the bow view of a drifter, a ship in the distance (right).Exergue: 'FOR WAR SERVICE MERCANTILE MARINE 1914-1918'. Inscription on edge: 'ROBERT S. NODES'. Fitted with a bar and light green and scarlet watered silk ribbon divided by a narrow white stripe. [Ribbon Missing].

Robert Samuel Nodes was born in Islington, the son of undertaker William Robert Thomas Nodes and his wife Catherine Maria. He began his career as a Marine Society boy in the training ship 'Warspite' at Woolwich. Nodes was apprenticed to William Thomas & Co. on the 5 April 1904 and was awarded the Marine Society Medal on 1 July 1909 for five years exemplary service. He was given a mate's certificate to work on foreign-going ships in London on 6 May 1910. At this time, he was working for the General Steam Navigation Company Ltd. During World War 1, still working for the same firm, he was first mate on SS 'Vesuvio' when she struck a mine off Newhaven on the 6 April 1916 en route from Messina, Sicily to England. He was one of fourteen survivors who were picked up after the vessel sank but died of his injuries twelve days later in London. His name is listed on the Tower Hill war memorial.
Robert Nodes married Ethel Hilda Nodes on 27 December 1914 in Islington. They had one daughter Cecilia.