V. Andrade – Mercantile Marine - S.S. Sculptor

Fireman and Trimmer V. Andrade – Mercantile Marine, S.S. Sculptor

Background and Service

Among those commemorated on the Swansea Cenotaph are several men who may not have been native to the city but whose service and sacrifice connect them to it. One such man was V. Andrade, who served in the Mercantile Marine during the First World War.

Very little is known about Andrade’s early life. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, he was born in St. Antonio (possibly referring to Santo António, in Portugal or one of its territories) and was 26 years old at the time of his death.

Service in the Mercantile Marine

V. Andrade served as a Fireman and Trimmer aboard the S.S. Sculptor. This was one of the most physically demanding and perilous roles in the Merchant Navy. Working deep in the ship’s stokehold, Firemen and Trimmers were responsible for feeding coal into the ship’s furnaces, maintaining steam pressure, and ensuring that the engines continued to run efficiently under all conditions. The work was exhausting, hot, and dangerous—especially during enemy attacks.

The S.S. Sculptor

The S.S. Sculptor was a British merchant steamship of approximately 4,874 gross register tons, built in 1911 by Charles Connell & Co. Ltd., Glasgow, and owned by Lamport & Holt Ltd., Liverpool. The ship operated across long-distance routes, carrying cargo and government stores between the Americas and Britain.

On 17^th May 1918, while on a voyage from New Orleans, USA, to Liverpool, carrying government stores, the Sculptor was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-39 in the Atlantic Ocean. The attack came without warning, and the ship went down quickly. Many of the crew were lost, including Fireman and Trimmer V. Andrade.

The loss of the Sculptor highlights the ever-present dangers faced by merchant seamen during the First World War. Even heavily-built cargo ships far from combat zones were at risk from the deadly and relentless campaign of submarine warfare waged by Germany’s U-boat fleet.

The German Submarine U-39

The U-39 was a Type U-31 ocean-going submarine of the Imperial German Navy, one of the most successful U-boats of the First World War. Commissioned in 1914, she was part of Germany’s elite submarine fleet that roamed the Atlantic and Mediterranean, attacking Allied shipping.

Under the command of Kapitänleutnant Walther Forstmann, U-39 achieved a fearsome record. Over the course of her patrols, she sank 149 merchant ships, with a combined tonnage of more than 404,000 gross register tons, making her one of the most destructive submarines of the war.

On 17^th May 1918, U-39 torpedoed and sank the British merchant steamer S.S. Sculptor, causing heavy loss of life, including V. Andrade. The following day, 18^th May 1918, U-39 was herself damaged by a French air raid off the coast of Spain and was forced to seek refuge at Cartagena, where she was interned by Spanish authorities. She later surrendered on 22^nd March 1919 and was broken up at Toulon in 1923.

The operations of U-39 exemplify the intense dangers faced by civilian merchant crews. Ships such as the Sculptor were prime targets in Germany’s strategy of unrestricted submarine warfare, intended to cut Britain off from its overseas supplies.

Loss at Sea and Commemoration

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

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

V. Andrade lost his life on 17^th May 1918 when the S.S. Sculptor was sunk by enemy action. Like so many in the Mercantile Marine, he served bravely in a civilian capacity, performing vital work that kept Britain’s maritime trade alive under constant threat.

His name 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 at sea during the First World War and have no known grave but the ocean. His name also appears on the Swansea Cenotaph, ensuring that his sacrifice is remembered both locally and nationally.

Legacy

Though little is known of his origins or personal life, Fireman and Trimmer V. Andrade represents the international nature of the Mercantile Marine, whose crews were drawn from across the world. His service aboard the S.S. Sculptor and his death at sea symbolise the shared courage, endurance, and sacrifice of merchant seafarers who risked—and often lost—their lives to sustain Britain’s war effort.