The thermal etching of silver was extensively studied in the middle of twentieth century, revealing the key role of oxygen on surface morphology changes including: grains striation, grain-boundary grooving and etch pitting. Here we probe the role of the subsurface and defects induced by rolling on the thermal etching of pure silver sheet. Nanometre- and micrometre-sized faceted pores have been observed in the subsurface region after heat treatments in air. The relationship between these subsurface pores and rolling defects is demonstrated. A mechanism for the formation of subsurface pores based on the precipitation/reaction of dissolved oxygen is suggested which can also explain the aligned etch pitting observed.