John Henry Tucker – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Algarve

Fireman John Henry Tucker – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Algarve

Early Life and Family Background

John Henry Tucker was born in 1885 at Cowes, Isle of Wight, the son of John Henry Tucker and Violet Tucker. Very few official records survive regarding his early years. By the time of the 1911 Census, John had moved to Swansea and was living as a lodger at 555 Neath Road, Morriston, in the household of Mary Jane Jago. Mary Jane, aged 53, was a widow living with her children, Ellen Elizabeth Jago (24), employed in the tinplate works, and Edward Thomas Jago (22), also working in the tinplate industry. A young grandson, Alfred Thomas, aged 2, was also present in the home.

1911 Census

John, then aged 26, was recorded as being employed as a Fireman at the Tinworks, indicating he was already used to industrial, physically demanding work. Later in 1911, John married Ellen Elizabeth Jago, connecting him permanently with his adopted home of Swansea.

Service at Sea – Fireman, S.S. Algarve

Having previously worked as a fireman on land, John transferred his skills to the sea, joining the Mercantile Marine during the First World War. As a Fireman aboard the S.S. Algarve, he worked deep in the ship’s stokehold, feeding coal into the boilers and maintaining steam power—one of the hardest and most dangerous roles aboard any steamship. Firemen laboured in intense heat and confined spaces and were among the least likely to survive a sudden torpedo attack.

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

John lost his life on 20^th October 1917, as recorded in the Registers and Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths of Passengers and Seamen at Sea. He has no known grave, and his name is honoured on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.

The S.S. Algarve

The S.S. Algarve was a British steam cargo ship built in 1899, tasked with transporting general cargo and vital wartime supplies. During the First World War, she operated in the heavily patrolled and increasingly dangerous waters of the English Channel, where German U-boats hunted merchant shipping without warning.

On 20^th October 1917, while approximately 15 miles west-south-west of Portland Bill, Dorset, the Algarve was torpedoed without warning by the German submarine UB-38. The explosion was devastating, and the ship sank rapidly. More than twenty crew members were killed, including Third Engineer John Mountjoy Holt and First Mate Edward Brooks, aged 44.

The loss of the Algarve occurred during the peak of Germany’s campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare, intended to starve Britain by destroying all shipping—military and civilian alike. Her sinking reflects the daily risks faced by merchant mariners such as John Henry Tucker, who kept Britain supplied despite extreme danger.

German Submarine UB-38

The UB-38 was a Type UB II submarine built by Blohm & Voss and commissioned on 18 July 1916. Though compact, UB-38 was a highly effective weapon of war. She displaced 274 tons on the surface and 303 tons submerged, carried six torpedoes, had two 50 cm torpedo tubes, and mounted an 8.8 cm deck gun. The vessel operated with a crew of 23 men.

UB-38 conducted 21 patrols and was credited with sinking 47 merchant ships, totalling more than 47,000 tons. Among her victims was the S.S. Algarve, sunk on 20^th October 1917.

The submarine’s own career ended violently on 8^th February 1918, when she struck a mine while attempting to evade British destroyers in the English Channel. The explosion destroyed the vessel, with all hands lost.

UB-38’s brief but lethal operational life epitomised the brutal nature of submarine warfare, which claimed the lives of thousands of merchant sailors.

Commemoration

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

With no known resting place, Fireman John Henry Tucker is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London. This memorial honours the men and women of the Mercantile Marine who died without a grave, serving their nation under hazardous conditions. His name stands among those who kept Britain supplied at enormous personal risk.

Legacy

The loss of John Henry Tucker reflects the immense dangers faced by merchant seafarers during the First World War. His journey—from industrial fireman to Mercantile Marine fireman—mirrors that of many working-class men who entered maritime service during wartime. Though only partially recorded in surviving documents, his life demonstrates the vital contribution of ordinary sailors whose labour, courage, and sacrifice kept the supply lines open. His memory, preserved on the Tower Hill Memorial, remains part of Swansea’s wartime maritime heritage.