Betty May Lewin nee. Walters – Civilian Casualty, S.S. Ceramic

Another Swansea victim of the sinking of the S.S. Ceramic was Betty May Walters, whose mother, Mrs A. Walters, resided at 35 Belle Vue Street, Swansea. Betty had married Benson Leonard Lewin earlier in 1942 in Lambeth, London. Her husband, who was also lost in the sinking, was the son of Isadore Bernhardt and Rebecca Lewin, of Oudtshoorn, Cape Province, South Africa. The couple had been travelling together when tragedy struck.

The Sinking of S.S. Ceramic – 7^th December 1942

S.S. Ceramic

The S.S. Ceramic was one of the last great passenger liners of the pre‑war era, originally operated by the White Star Line and later by the Shaw, Savill & Albion Company. Designed for long‑distance voyages to South Africa and Australia, she was a large, well‑built vessel known for her reliability, comfort, and capacity to carry hundreds of passengers. When the Second World War began, Ceramic continued to sail under government control, transporting civilians, military personnel, and essential cargo across the increasingly dangerous Atlantic.

By late 1942, the Atlantic had become a deadly battleground. German U‑boats hunted Allied shipping relentlessly, and even large liners were no longer safe. Despite the risks, Ceramic sailed from Liverpool on 23^rd November 1942, bound for South Africa with a full complement of passengers and crew. Among them were Betty May Walters and her husband Benson Leonard Lewin, as well as Cyril Walter Buchan of Swansea.

On the night of 6^th–7^th December 1942, Ceramic was deep in the mid‑Atlantic, far from land and beyond the reach of immediate assistance. The weather was severe, with heavy seas and strong winds—conditions that made lookout duties extremely difficult. In the darkness, the German submarine U‑515, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Werner Henke, detected the liner and moved into attack position.

Shortly before midnight, U‑515 fired a spread of torpedoes. Ceramic was struck and immediately began to list. The explosion caused extensive damage, and the stormy seas made launching lifeboats almost impossible. Passengers were thrown from their bunks, and the ship’s lights failed, plunging the decks into confusion. Despite the crew’s efforts, the situation deteriorated rapidly.

As the vessel struggled in the storm, U‑515 fired additional torpedoes to deliver the final blow. The liner broke apart and sank into the Atlantic, taking with her the vast majority of those on board. The conditions were so severe that even those who reached the water stood little chance of survival.

In a rare and controversial move, U‑515 returned to the scene hours later and rescued one survivor—a young British sapper, Eric Munday. He was taken prisoner and later provided the only eyewitness account of the disaster. No other passengers or crew were ever recovered.

The sinking of the S.S. Ceramic remains one of the most tragic maritime losses of the Second World War. Hundreds of civilians—including women, children, and couples like Betty May Walters and Benson Leonard Lewin—perished in the darkness of the mid‑Atlantic. For Swansea, the loss of Betty added another name to the long list of families touched by wartime tragedy, her life cut short while travelling with her husband to begin a new chapter abroad