Roderick joined the Artists’ Rifles in 1933 after leaving Wrekin and early in the war was commissioned into the Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's). In July 1943, he was posted to Syria in the rank of Captain, and was attached to 1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), moving to the Aegean Islands in October 1943.

Here, the bulk of the battalion was either killed or captured by 16^th November, after the Battle of Leros, with only fifty-seven officers and men managing to escape the island. Roderick was amongst those killed on Friday 12^th November 1943 whilst commanding his company in the attack on Leros. He was 31 years of age and is buried in Leros War Cemetery, Greece.

Son of Harry Maxwell & Edith Mary Maxwell of Lurgan, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland.

A copy of this story may be downloaded here.

See also the Commonwealth War Graves Commission permanent digital memorial, ‘Evermore: Stories of the fallen’ relating to:-
Captain Roderick Leighton Potter MAXWELL