Edwin Cox – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Sandhurst

Cook’s Boy Edwin Cox – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Sandhurst

The Youngest Swansea Casualty?

Was Edwin Cox the youngest man from Swansea to lose his life while serving in the Mercantile Marine during the First World War? His story suggests that may well be the case.

Early Life and Family Background

Edwin Cox was born in 1903, in Swansea, the only son of Edwin Cox and Florence Lisk, who were married in 1901 in Swansea.

1911 Census

The only census record that includes Edwin is the 1911 Census, when the family were living at 12 Dartmouth Gardens, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire. Edwin senior, aged 44, was a Master Mariner, born in Lincoln, while Florence, aged 31, was Swansea-born. Their two children were Edwin (8) and Edna (5). Also living with them was Frederick Lisk, aged 23, Florence’s brother, who worked as a Sailor and Fisherman.

Growing up in a seafaring household, surrounded by the sounds and stories of ships and sailors, it was perhaps inevitable that young Edwin would go to sea himself — though few could have foreseen how short his voyage would be.

Service in the Mercantile Marine

Following in his father’s maritime footsteps, Edwin Cox joined the Mercantile Marine while still a boy. He served as a Cook’s Boy aboard the S.S. Sandhurst. At only 15 years old, he was among the youngest members of Britain’s wartime merchant fleet.

The position of Cook’s Boy, though humble, was vital — assisting the ship’s cook, cleaning the galley, and helping feed the crew. For many, it was a first step in a seafaring career, but wartime service made even such junior roles perilous.

The S.S. Sandhurst

The S.S. Sandhurst was a British steam cargo ship of 3,027 gross register tons, built in 1897 by Blyth Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., for Russell Huskie & Co. Initially named Craigneuk, she was later owned by the Britain Steamship Co. Ltd. and managed by Watts, Watts & Co. Ltd., one of Britain’s prominent shipping firms.

On 6^th May 1918, during a voyage from Bilbao, Spain, to Ardrossan, Scotland, with a cargo of iron ore, the Sandhurst was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-72 at approximately 54°58′ N, 5°25′ W, about six nautical miles northwest of Corsewall Point, in the North Channel.

The attack was sudden and devastating, leaving no opportunity for the crew to escape. All hands were lost, including Cook’s Boy Edwin Cox, aged just 15. The tragedy occurred during the final months of the war, at a time when German U-boats were still striking hard against Allied merchant ships.

The German Submarine U-72

The U-72 was a Type UE I minelaying submarine of the Imperial German Navy, commissioned in 1916. Measuring 56.8 metres in length, with a displacement of 755 tons surfaced and 832 tons submerged, she was built for long-range operations and fitted with both torpedo tubes and mine-laying gear.

These dual-purpose submarines were among Germany’s most dangerous weapons, capable of attacking directly or silently laying minefields along vital trade routes. The sinking of the Sandhurst illustrates the devastating effectiveness of such vessels against Britain’s merchant shipping during the First World War.

The U-72 operated successfully in European waters, sinking several ships before meeting her own end late in the war. In October 1918, as Germany’s naval bases in the Adriatic were evacuated, U-72 was scuttled or destroyed by explosion at Cattaro (modern-day Kotor, Montenegro) to prevent her capture by Allied forces.

Loss and Commemoration

Registers and Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths of Passengers and Seamen at Sea

The Registers and Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths of Passengers and Seamen at Sea record that Edwin Cox, serving as Cook’s Boy aboard the Sandhurst, was lost when the ship was sunk on 6 May 1918. His last known address was 33 Recorder Street, Swansea.

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

Edwin Cox is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which honours the men and boys 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

At only fifteen years old, Edwin Cox was among Swansea’s youngest wartime casualties. His death symbolises the immense human cost borne by the Mercantile Marine, whose sailors — many of them barely men — faced the perils of submarine warfare to keep Britain supplied.

Though his life was brief, Edwin’s courage and service endure as part of Swansea’s maritime legacy. His name, etched into the Tower Hill Memorial, stands as a lasting reminder of the sacrifices made not only by seasoned mariners but also by the very youngest who went to sea in defence of their country