Frank Davies

Winchman Frank Davies – Trinity House Service

During the Second World War, 29 people from Swansea lost their lives in different parts of the country. Among them was Winchman Frank Davies, who served with the Lighthouse and Pilotage Authorities, Trinity House Service, aboard M.V. Georges of Joly (United Kingdom). He was later buried at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea.

Trinity House in Wartime

Although many lighthouses were extinguished during the war to prevent aiding enemy aircraft and shipping, not all lights were put out. Trinity House, working with the Admiralty, determined which lights should remain visible—albeit dimmed—to guide merchant and naval vessels along Britain’s coasts.

Trinity House pilots worked tirelessly through the nights, guiding ships safely into ports. Its tenders also undertook dangerous wartime duties, including mine clearance, evacuating the occupied Channel Islands, and later supporting the D-Day landings on 6^th June 1944.

To reduce visibility from the air, many lighthouses in flight paths were camouflaged with paint. Those keepers and crewmen of lightvessels who lost their lives are commemorated on the Trinity Square Memorial in London.

Early Life

Frank Davies was born in 1908, the son of David Thomas Davies and Catherine Jane Williams, who had married in 1892.

1921 Census

In the 1911 Census, the family was living at 58 Woodfields Street, Morriston. Frank’s father, David (43), worked as a marine engineer, while his mother, Catherine (36), kept the household. Their children were Clyde (16), a fitter’s apprentice; Susie (11) and Gwen (5), both at school; and Frank, then 2 years old.

1921 Census

By the 1921 Census, the family was still living at 58 Woodfields Street, although the parents’ names were crossed out on the return. Frank, then 12, was recorded alongside his sisters Susie (21), a dressmaker, and Gwen (16), a milliner, as well as his younger brother J. Donald S. (9), still at school.

1939 Register 

According to the 1939 Register, Frank was married to Jane, and the couple resided at 138 Rodney Street. Frank’s occupation was listed as Coxswain, Weekly Boat Architect, Trinity House.

Death in Plymouth

Frank lost his life in Plymouth, a city that endured eight months of devastating German bombing between 6^th July 1940 and 30^th April 1941.

On the night of 20^th–21^st March 1941, Plymouth suffered one of its heaviest raids. At 8:30 pm, the sirens sounded, and within minutes, formations of Heinkel III bombers dropped high-explosive and delayed-action bombs. Soon incendiaries rained down, igniting the city.

Wave after wave of aircraft followed, including squadrons diverted from an aborted raid on Yeovil, which instead unleashed their payloads on Plymouth. In total, thousands of incendiaries and dozens of massive “blockbuster” bombs devastated the city centre.

Buildings including Spooner and Company Limited, St. Andrew’s Church, the Municipal Offices, the Guildhall, the General Post Office, and large sections of Bedford Street and Union Street were destroyed. Fires raged out of control, drawing reinforcements from fire brigades across Devon, Cornwall, and beyond. By dawn, 796 firemen with 158 appliances were on duty, but much of the city lay in ruins.

It was during this catastrophic raid that Frank Davies lost his life.

Burial

Frank Davies
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Following his death, Frank was brought home to Swansea and buried at Danygraig Cemetery, where he lies among others who gave their lives during the Second World War.

Legacy

Frank Davies is remembered not only in Swansea but also within the wider story of Trinity House and its wartime sacrifices. His grave at Danygraig Cemetery is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, ensuring that his name endures alongside fellow servicemen and civilians lost to the war. The Trinity Square Memorial in London also honours lighthouse keepers and lightvessel crew who died during the conflict, placing Frank’s service within a national narrative of quiet courage. His story reflects the dangers faced by those who worked at sea, far from the battlefield but at constant risk, keeping Britain’s coasts safe and its ships moving during the darkest days of the war.