Hans Johansen

 Sailor Hans Johansen – Norwegian Merchant Navy

Early Life

Hans Johansen was born on 20^th March 1903 in Sandar, Norway. Little is recorded of his early years, but like many Norwegians from coastal towns, he pursued a life at sea.

Military Service

During the Second World War, Johansen served as a sailor and donkeyman aboard the Norwegian merchant vessel DS Edle. Norwegian merchant seamen played a vital role in maintaining Allied supply routes during the conflict, often under dangerous conditions.

Death

 South Wales Daily Post

South Wales Daily Post

Johansen’s service was tragically cut short, not at sea but on land. On 12^th January 1942, while the DS Edle was docked in Swansea, South Wales, he lost his life in a car accident.

The DS Edle’s logbook for 1942 shows the vessel arriving in Swansea from Falmouth on 9^th December 1941, departing again on 30^th December 1941, passing Mumbles Head on 30^th January, and finally reaching Poole on 2^nd February 1942.

His death was reported in two articles in the South Wales Daily Post, which documented the circumstances of the accident and his service.

Burial

Hans Johansen
Danygrraig Cemetery

Hans Johansen is the only Norwegian buried under a Norwegian war grave. His headstone bears the inscription:

HER HVILER

NORSK SJØMANN

HANS JOHANSEN

20-3-1903 – 12-1-1942

FOR NORGE

1939 – 1945

Legacy

Johansen’s story reflects the sacrifices of countless Norwegian sailors who served in the merchant fleet during the Second World War. Though his death came not in battle but by accident, he is remembered with honour for his contribution to Norway’s wartime effort. His grave continues to stand as a rare and poignant reminder of Norway’s presence in Swansea during the war.