Gilbert Barrington Sandry – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Livonia

Ordinary Seaman Gilbert Barrington Sandry – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Livonia

Early Life and Family Background

Gilbert Barrington Sandry, one of Swansea’s youngest Mercantile Marine casualties of the First World War, was born in 1901 in Maesteg. He was the son of William Henry Sandry and Maria Johanna Schramm, who were married on Christmas Day 1882 at the parish church of Llangyfelach. Gilbert appears only on the 1911 Census, as no other early records survive.

1911 Census

At the time of the 1911 Census, the family were living at Glyn Neath, and Gilbert’s father was absent from the home. Gilbert’s mother, Maria, aged 48, was listed as head of the household and had no recorded occupation. Several of her older children were already in service or working: William (26), a Coal Miner Hewer; Eveline (20), a Domestic Servant; and Frances (15), also a Domestic Servant. The younger children—Elsie (11), Gilbert (9), Hilda (7), and Olive (5)—were all recorded as attending school. Also living with the family was Maria’s married daughter, Rosa Poules (27), a Dressmaker, and Rosa’s two infant sons, Philip, aged 1, and William, aged 5 weeks.

Service at Sea – S.S. Livonia

Despite being only a child in 1911, Gilbert later enlisted in the Mercantile Marine, almost certainly overstating his age in order to serve at sea—a common practice among underage boys eager for work or motivated by wartime patriotism. He became an Ordinary Seaman aboard the S.S. Livonia, undertaking strenuous duties on deck and aloft. Ordinary Seamen were often the youngest members of a ship’s company, responsible for essential but physically demanding work, particularly hazardous during wartime. On 3^rd December 1917, while the Livonia was sailing through hostile waters, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine UB-35. The ship went down with members of her crew, including the 17-year-old Gilbert, who had virtually no chance of escape from the sinking vessel.

The S.S. Livonia

The S.S. Livonia was a British merchant steamer engaged in coastal and short-sea trade during the First World War. Like many similar ships, she carried vital cargoes essential to Britain’s war effort and civilian supply chain. Merchant steamers typically sailed unarmed or only lightly armed, leaving them dangerously exposed to submarine attack. By late 1917, the waters surrounding Britain were among the most perilous in the world due to the intensified German U-boat campaign. The sinking of the Livonia is representative of the daily hazards faced by the Mercantile Marine during this period—ordinary working men sailing under constant threat of attack.

German Submarine UB-35

The UB-35 was a Type UB II coastal submarine commissioned into the Imperial German Navy in 1916. Vessels of this class were designed for operations in shallow coastal waters and were equipped with two bow torpedo tubes, a small deck gun, and carried a crew of around 23 men. UB-35 was active throughout the English Channel and western approaches, targeting merchant ships vital to Britain’s survival. She was responsible for sinking numerous vessels, including the S.S. Livonia, through swift and often unannounced torpedo attacks. UB-35 remained operational until early 1918, when she was eventually lost with all hands after being depth-charged by British naval forces.

Commemoration

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

As Gilbert Barrington Sandry has no known grave but the sea, he is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial in London, which honours members of the Mercantile Marine who died in service during the World Wars without a known resting place. His name stands alongside thousands of merchant sailors who lost their lives while keeping Britain supplied during one of the most dangerous periods in maritime history.

Legacy

Gilbert’s short life and tragic death reflect the experiences of many underage youths who entered the Mercantile Marine during the First World War. Barely seventeen, he undertook the demanding and often perilous duties of an Ordinary Seaman in wartime, serving aboard ships that were constant targets of submarine attack. His loss underscores the vulnerability of young sailors who faced the same deadly risks as seasoned mariners. Gilbert’s story forms part of the broader narrative of Swansea’s maritime heritage, reminding us that the town’s sons—both young and old—played a vital role in sustaining Britain’s wartime lifelines at extraordinary personal cost.