Albert Leslie Evans – Merchant Navy, S.S. Euphorbia

Galley Boy Albert Leslie Evans – Merchant Navy, S.S. Euphorbia

Early Life

Albert Leslie Evans was born in 1924 in Swansea, the son of Sydney James Evans and Violet Jane Colwill, who married in 1918 at All Saints Church, Swansea. Little is recorded about Albert’s early childhood, but he grew up in a family rooted in the Swansea area during a period marked by economic hardship and the growing tensions that would lead to the Second World War.

Service in the Merchant Navy

Albert later joined the Merchant Navy, serving as a Galley Boy, one of the youngest and most junior roles aboard ship. Galley Boys assisted the cooks, prepared meals for the crew, and carried out essential daily duties that kept the vessel running smoothly. His recorded address at the time of his final voyage was 4 Taplow Terrace, Swansea.

He served aboard the S.S. Euphorbia, a British merchant vessel operating during the early and perilous years of the Battle of the Atlantic, when German U‑boats were inflicting heavy losses on Allied shipping.

Sinking of the S.S. Euphorbia – 14^th December 1940

The S.S. Euphorbia was a British merchant ship operated by the Euphorbia Steamship Company, engaged in transporting essential wartime cargoes across the Atlantic. By late 1940, the German U‑boat campaign was at its most destructive, with submarines patrolling the North Atlantic in search of unescorted merchant vessels.

On 14^th December 1940, the Euphorbia was detected by the German submarine U‑96, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Lehmann‑Willenbrock, one of the most experienced U‑boat commanders of the early war. U‑96 would later become widely known through its portrayal in the book and film Das Boot.

At approximately 23:00 hours, U‑96 launched a torpedo at the Euphorbia. The strike was devastating. The explosion tore into the ship’s hull, causing catastrophic damage and flooding. The vessel began to sink rapidly, leaving the crew with almost no time to launch lifeboats or escape the freezing Atlantic waters.

Conditions that night were harsh—darkness, cold seas, and the suddenness of the attack meant that survival was unlikely. The Euphorbia went down with heavy loss of life. Among those who perished was Galley Boy Albert Leslie Evans, one of the youngest members of the crew.

The sinking occurred during one of the most dangerous phases of the Battle of the Atlantic, when Allied shipping losses were at their peak. In 1940 alone, more than a thousand merchant ships were sunk, and the courage of men like Albert—many still in their teens—was vital to keeping Britain supplied during its darkest hour.

Death and Commemoration

Merchant Seamen Deaths

Albert Leslie Evans
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - findagrave

According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Albert Leslie Evans lost his life on 14^th December 1940 in the sinking of the S.S. Euphorbia. As he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which honours the thousands of Merchant Navy personnel who died at sea during both world wars.