Percy George Thomas – Merchant Navy, M.V. Glenmoor

Steward Percy George Thomas – Merchant Navy, M.V. Glenmoor

Birth and Family Background

Percy George Thomas was born in 1923 at Oystermouth. He was the son of Richard J. Thomas and Clara M. Green, who were married in 1922.

Civilian Record

Merchant Seamen Deaths Records

No surviving civilian records have been identified for Percy beyond official maritime documentation. The Merchant Seamen Deaths Records record his home address as 16 John Street, Mumbles.

Merchant Navy Service

Percy served with the Merchant Navy as a Steward, a role that placed him largely below decks, responsible for catering and accommodation duties for officers and crew.

The Sinking of M.V. Glenmoor – 27^th November 1940

M.V. Glenmoor

On 27^th November 1940, the British cargo ship M.V. Glenmoor—built in 1928 by Doxford W. & Sons and owned by Runciman, Walter & Co.—was on a voyage from Cardiff to Alexandria, carrying a cargo of 7,410 tons of coal. During this passage, the vessel was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-103.

The attack was devastating. Thirty-one members of the crew lost their lives, and only two survived the sinking. As was common in sudden submarine attacks during the Battle of the Atlantic, the ship was struck with little warning, leaving minimal time for evacuation. Crew members working or resting below decks, including stewards, were especially vulnerable.

Death and Commemoration

Percy George Thomas
Tower Hill Memorial
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial

Percy George Thomas lost his life as a result of the sinking of Glenmoor on 27^th November 1940. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, which honours Merchant Navy personnel who died at sea during the First and Second World Wars.