Ivor Gordon Davies – Merchant Navy, S.S. Montreal City

Third Radio Officer Ivor Gordon Davies – Merchant Navy, S.S. Montreal City

Early Life

Ivor Gordon Davies was born in 1925 in Port Talbot, the son of John Morgan Davies and Elizabeth Davies. Little is recorded about his early years, but he grew up in the town and later entered wartime service at sea.

Service in the Merchant Navy

Ivor Gordon joined the Merchant Navy, serving as a Third Radio Officer, a specialist responsible for maintaining wireless communications, receiving signals, and ensuring the ship remained in contact with naval authorities and other vessels. The Merchant Seamen Deaths register records his home address as 20 Carlos Street, Port Talbot, reflecting where he was living at the time of his service.

Loss of the S.S. Montreal City – 21^st December 1942

S.S. Montreal City
credit - wrecksite

The S.S. Montreal City, a 5,576‑ton British steam merchant ship operated by the Bristol City Line, was sailing westbound with Convoy ON‑153 across the North Atlantic when the convoy came under attack during one of the most dangerous phases of the Battle of the Atlantic. In the early hours of 21^st December 1942, the German submarine U‑591, fired a torpedo that struck the vessel on the starboard side. The explosion caused catastrophic damage, and the ship sank rapidly in freezing waters. Of the 49 men on board, 31 were lost, including Third Radio Officer Ivor Gordon Davies. Eighteen survivors were rescued by the corvette HMS Snowflake. The sinking formed part of a sustained U‑boat assault on the convoy, highlighting the extreme risks faced by Merchant Navy crews throughout the war.

Death and Commemoration

Merchant Seamen Deaths 

Ivor Gordon Davies
Tower Hill Memorial
credit - Benjidog Histroical Research Resources.
The Merchant Navy Memorial

The Merchant Seamen Deaths register records that Third Radio Officer Ivor Gordon Davies lost his life on 21^st December 1942 following the sinking of the Montreal City. 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.