Arthur Bowen – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Don Arturo

Wireless Operator Arthur Bowen – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Don Arturo

Early Life and Family Background

Arthur Bowen was born in 1897 in Neath, the son of Herbert Edward Bowen and Elizabeth Williams, who were married in 1891 in Neath.

1901 Census

By the time of the 1901 Census, the family had moved to 28 Ysgol Street, St. Thomas, Swansea. Herbert, aged 32 and born in Neath, was employed as a Railway Engine Fitter, while Elizabeth, aged 28, was also born in Neath. Interestingly, Herbert recorded his name on the census as “Robert”, possibly in error or as a nickname. The couple had five children: Sydney (10), Thomas Lewis (8), Ethel (6), Arthur (3), and Herbert (4 months).

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family were still living at 28 Ysgol Street. Herbert, now 41, was employed as a Locomotive Fitter, and Elizabeth, aged 39, managed the household. Their children were Sidney (20) and Thomas Lewis (18), both Apprentice Locomotive Fitters; Ethel (16); Arthur (14), listed as an Apprentice to an Ironmonger; Herbert (10); Ada Matilda (8); Pendrill Charles (6); and Clement (2).

Service in the Mercantile Marine

As a young man, Arthur Bowen joined the Mercantile Marine during the First World War, serving as a Wireless Operator aboard the S.S. Don Arturo. Wireless Operators played a vital role in shipboard operations, maintaining contact with coastal stations and naval commands—a crucial link in a time when ships often sailed alone and in constant danger from submarine attack.

The S.S. Don Arturo

The S.S. Don Arturo was a British steam cargo vessel of 3,680 gross register tons, built in 1906 by Craig, Taylor & Co. Ltd. for the Buenos Ayres & Pacific Railway Co. Ltd. and managed by G. Dodd & Co. The ship was part of Britain’s worldwide merchant fleet, transporting essential goods between the Mediterranean, North Africa, and British ports.

On 17 June 1917 (some records note 28 June 1917), while sailing in ballast from Oran, Algeria, and Bône to the River Tees, the Don Arturo was torpedoed without warning by the German submarine UC-62, approximately 90 nautical miles west-south-west of the Isles of Scilly in the Atlantic Ocean. The ship sank rapidly, and there were no survivors among her crew.

The loss of the Don Arturo highlights the constant peril faced by the men of the Mercantile Marine, who navigated dangerous waters to sustain Britain’s trade and war effort. Even unarmed ships sailing empty were vulnerable to attack, as German U-boats sought to cripple maritime supply lines through unrestricted submarine warfare.

The German Submarine UC-62

The UC-62 was a Type UC II minelaying submarine of the Imperial German Navy, ordered on 12^th January 1916, launched on 9^th December 1916, and commissioned on 8^th January 1917. Built by AG Vulcan, Hamburg, the submarine displaced 422 tons surfaced and 504 tons submerged, with a length of 50.35 metres and a crew of 26 to 27 men.

Armed with six mine tubes capable of deploying 18 UC-200 mines, three 50 cm torpedo tubes (two at the bow and one at the stern), and an 8.8 cm deck gun, UC-62 was designed for stealth and versatility, operating as both a minelayer and a torpedo-attack vessel.

During its short but destructive career, UC-62 conducted nine war patrols, sinking 11 merchant ships and damaging others. Among its victims was the S.S. Don Arturo, sunk on 17^th June 1917. Only months later, on 14^th October 1917, UC-62 struck a mine and sank in the North Sea near Zeebrugge, with the loss of all hands.

The fates of both vessels—Don Arturo and UC-62—serve as stark reminders of the deadly cat-and-mouse nature of maritime warfare during the Great War, in which both combatants and civilians at sea faced extreme peril.

Loss at Sea and Commemoration

S.S. Don Arturo
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial

S.S. Don Arturo
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial

Wireless Operator Arthur Bowen lost his life on 17^th June 1917, when the S.S. Don Arturo was sunk by enemy action. He was just 20 years old. Like many in the Mercantile Marine, Arthur served courageously in a civilian capacity, ensuring the safe transmission of vital communications amid constant danger.

His name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which honours the men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died at sea during the First World War and have no known grave but the ocean.

Legacy

Arthur Bowen, a young man from Swansea, represents the courage and professionalism of the thousands of seafarers who served in the Mercantile Marine during the Great War. His service as a Wireless Operator aboard the S.S. Don Arturo reflects the bravery of those who risked—and often lost—their lives keeping the world’s shipping lanes open. Though his life was tragically short, his memory endures among those whose names are forever engraved on the Tower Hill Memorial.