George Bernard Denis Murphy – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Excellence Pleske
Sailor George Bernard Denis Murphy – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Excellence Pleske
Early Life and Family Background
Birth and Parentage
George Bernard Denis Murphy was one of Swansea’s
youngest mercantile marine casualties of the First World War. Born in 1901
in Swansea, he was the son of Henry Joseph Murphy and Ellen
Winter. By the time of George’s death in 1918, the family were living at 10
Moira Street, Adamstown, Cardiff.
S.S. Excellence Pleske
The S.S. Excellence Pleske was a merchant
steamship operating during a period of intense German submarine activity.
Merchant ships like the Excellence Pleske were essential to Britain’s
wartime supply chain but were often unarmed or poorly protected, leaving them
vulnerable to U-boat attacks.
George served aboard the vessel as a Sailor,
undertaking general deck duties essential to the operation of the ship. On 31st
March 1918, the Excellence Pleske was torpedoed and sunk by the
German submarine UB-57. The attack occurred during the height of
Germany’s 1918 unrestricted submarine warfare campaign, which targeted merchant
shipping around the British Isles.
George Murphy was among those who lost their lives when the
ship went down. At just 17 years old, he was one of Swansea’s youngest
maritime casualties of the Great War.
UB-57
The UB-57 was a Type UB III submarine,
one of Germany’s most effective coastal torpedo-attack U-boats. Commissioned in
1917, she was commended for part of her service by the highly successful
U-boat ace Oberleutnant zur See Johannes Lohs.
The UB III class was designed for aggressive operations in
the shallow, busy waters of the English Channel and North Sea,
carrying 10 torpedoes and a deck gun. These submarines were
responsible for significant losses among merchant vessels, striking quickly and
disappearing into coastal waters.
UB-57 conducted several successful patrols, sinking numerous
Allied ships. One of her victims was the S.S. Excellence Pleske,
torpedoed on 31st March 1918, with the loss of George Bernard
Denis Murphy.
UB-57 herself was lost later that year, sinking with
all hands in the Strait of Dover on 14th August 1918,
believed to have struck a British mine while returning from patrol.
Legacy
Although little is known about George’s personal life, his
sacrifice reflects the courage of the many young men who served in the
Mercantile Marine. At just 17, he faced the same deadly dangers as
seasoned adult mariners—submarines, mines, and hazardous sea conditions—and
lost his life while helping to maintain Britain’s vital wartime shipping
routes.
George’s story stands as a reminder that the Merchant
Service relied heavily on youths, many of whom undertook adult responsibilities
aboard ship long before reaching adulthood. His service and sacrifice form part
of Swansea’s maritime heritage and the wider story of the young men who kept
Britain supplied during the war.
Commemoration
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| S.S. Excellence Pleske Tower Hill Memorial, London credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources: The Merchant Navy Memorial |
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| S.S. Excellence Pleske Tower Hill Memorial, London credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources: The Merchant Navy Memorial |
As he has no known grave but the sea, George Bernard Denis Murphy is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London, alongside thousands of merchant seafarers lost during both World Wars. His name ensures that the sacrifice of one of Swansea’s youngest wartime mariners will not be forgotten.
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