R. Davies – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Armadale

Storekeeper R. Davies – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Armadale

Who Was R. Davies?

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records R. Davies, who served as a Storekeeper aboard the S.S. Armadale and lost his life on 27^th June 1917, aged 34.

Born in Swansea, R. Davies was the husband of Lucy Davies, of 81 Robert Hall Street, Salford, Lancashire. Although little is known of his early life, his service in the Mercantile Marine placed him among the many civilian sailors whose commitment and courage kept Britain supplied during the First World War.

As a Storekeeper, R. Davies managed provisions, spare parts, and shipboard equipment—an indispensable role ensuring the crew and vessel were properly supplied for long and often perilous voyages through wartime seas.

The S.S. Armadale

S.S. Armadale

The Armadale was a British steam cargo ship of 6,153 gross register tons, built in 1909 by Charles Connell & Company Ltd., Glasgow, for the Australind Steam Shipping Co. Ltd., London. She was registered at London and operated primarily between Britain and the Mediterranean, transporting cargo, troops, and vital supplies.

On 27^th June 1917, while on passage from Manchester to Salonica (Thessaloniki) with a cargo of stores and troops, the Armadale was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-60, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Karl Georg Schuster, approximately 160 miles north-west of Tory Island, Ireland (position 56°17′ N, 12°42′ W). The vessel sank rapidly, with heavy loss of life, including Storekeeper R. Davies, aged 34.

This tragedy occurred during Germany’s campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare, when merchant and transport vessels were attacked without warning in an attempt to sever Britain’s lifelines at sea.

The German Submarine U-60

The U-60 was a Type U 57-class submarine of the Imperial German Navy, launched on 8^th December 1916 and commissioned on 4^th February 1917 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Karl Georg Schuster. She displaced 715 tons surfaced and 902 tons submerged, measuring 65.2 metres in length, with a beam of 6.4 metres and a draught of 3.6 metres. Capable of speeds up to 16.8 knots surfaced and 9 knots submerged, she carried four 50 cm torpedo tubes—two forward and two aft—together with an 8.8 cm deck gun and between six and ten torpedoes.

During her wartime career, U-60 sank 29 ships totalling more than 45,000 gross tons, including the Armadale. She operated chiefly in the North Atlantic and the waters west of the British Isles, preying upon merchant shipping bound for Allied ports. Her commander, Kapitänleutnant Schuster, became one of Germany’s most effective U-boat captains during 1917. The submarine survived the war and was surrendered to the Royal Navy at Harwich on 20^th November 1918, before being broken up in 1921.

Commemoration

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

Storekeeper R. Davies 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.

His name endures among those who gave their lives in the line of duty—men of the Mercantile Marine whose work ensured that supplies, troops, and essential goods continued to reach their destinations despite the deadly threat of submarine warfare.

Legacy

At just 34 years of age, R. Davies represents the courage and quiet professionalism of countless seamen from Swansea and across Britain who kept the sea lanes open through their skill and sacrifice. His name, carved on the Tower Hill Memorial, stands as a permanent tribute to those who sailed into danger so that others might live in safety