Thomas Jones – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Greldon

Second Mate Thomas Jones – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Greldon

Early Life and Family

Thomas Jones was born in Portmadoc (Porthmadog), Caernarvonshire, in 1875, the son of Thomas and Mary Jones. Though few records survive of his early life, his upbringing in a North Wales coastal town likely fostered his lifelong connection to the sea.

In 1909, Thomas married Elizabeth Ann Leonard, and the couple settled at 2 Hillside Cottage, Sketty, Swansea. By this time, Thomas had established himself within the Mercantile Marine, progressing through the ranks to become a Second Mate, a key role responsible for navigation and safety aboard ship.

Service and Loss

During the First World War, Thomas Jones served aboard the S.S. Greldon, a British merchant steamer operating along Britain’s coastal and trans-Channel supply routes. These voyages, critical to sustaining the war effort, were fraught with danger as German submarines intensified their campaign of unrestricted warfare.

On 8^th October 1918, tragedy struck when the Greldon was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat in the Irish Sea, off the coast of County Wicklow, Ireland. The attack occurred without warning, and the ship sank rapidly, leaving little chance for the crew to escape. Second Mate Thomas Jones was among those who perished in the disaster.

The S.S. Greldon

The S.S. Greldon was a British merchant cargo vessel, built in the early 20th century and employed in carrying coal and general goods between British and continental ports. Like many vessels of her type, she was unarmed and vulnerable to submarine attack.

On 8^th October 1918, the Greldon was torpedoed approximately seven nautical miles east-northeast of the North Arklow Light Vessel, in the St George’s Channel. The attack came from the German submarine SM U-96, a highly effective U-boat operating in the region during the final year of the war. The explosion tore through the ship’s hull, and she sank quickly beneath the waves, taking many of her crew down with her.

The loss of the Greldon, so close to the end of hostilities, highlights the enduring peril faced by Britain’s merchant fleet even in the closing months of the war.

The German Submarine SM U-96

The SM U-96 was a Type U 93 class submarine of the Imperial German Navy, commissioned in 1917 and assigned to the Flanders Flotilla for operations in British and Irish coastal waters.

Displacing 838 tons surfaced and 1,000 tons submerged, and measuring 71.55 metres in length, U-96 was among the larger and more advanced submarines of her era. She was armed with six 50 cm torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern) and carried an 8.8 cm deck gun, giving her formidable offensive capability.

Throughout her operational career, U-96 conducted multiple patrols across the Irish Sea, St George’s Channel, and Atlantic approaches, where she sank numerous merchant ships—including the Greldon on 8^th October 1918. Her commander during this period, like many of the U-boat captains, was part of Germany’s intensive campaign to starve Britain into submission by disrupting maritime supply lines.

Following the Armistice, U-96 was surrendered to the Allies and later broken up at Brest, France, in 1921.

The sinking of the Greldon stands among the many attacks carried out by U-96, illustrating the immense dangers faced by the crews of unarmed merchant ships during the First World War.

Commemoration

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

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

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

Second Mate Thomas Jones is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which honours the men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who lost their lives during both World Wars and have no known grave but the sea.

Legacy

Though his story survives only in fragments, Thomas Jones represents the countless Welsh mariners who served the Mercantile Marine with skill and courage. From his beginnings in Portmadoc to his final voyage aboard the Greldon, his life and sacrifice reflect the quiet heroism of those who kept Britain’s ships sailing through perilous waters.

His name, inscribed on the Tower Hill Memorial, ensures that he, and the crew of the Greldon, are forever remembered among the ranks of Britain’s fallen seafarers.