James Frederick Beynon – Merchant Navy, S.S. Empire Amethyst

Chief Steward James Frederick Beynon – Merchant Navy, S.S. Empire Amethyst

Early Life and Family Background

James Frederick Beynon was born in 1903 in Swansea, the son of Frederick James William Beynon and Elizabeth Ann Phillips, who married in 1899 at St. Mark’s Church, Swansea.

1911 Census

James’s father died in 1906, and by the 1911 Census, the Beynon family were living at 30 Brynymor Road, Swansea, the home of Elizabeth’s parents. Her father, John Phillips (63), was a Wheelwright, and her mother Emma (64) managed the household. Also present were their sons Arthur (29) and Gordon (25), both wheelwrights. Elizabeth Ann, then 33, was living there with her children: Frederick (8), Archibald (6), and Avril (4).

1921 Census

In the 1921 Census, the Beynon and Phillips families were still living together at 30 Brynymor Road, Swansea. Emma Phillips, now 74, was recorded as a widow, her husband John having died the previous year. Her son Arthur (38), described as an invalid at home, was also present. Elizabeth, aged 43, was listed under her maiden name and was living with her three children: Frederick Beynon (18), a labourer formerly employed at Duffryn Steel & Tin Plate Works but out of work; Archibald (17), an office boy previously employed by the British Mannesmann Tube Company, also out of work; and Averil (14), who was still attending school. James himself was not recorded at the address, suggesting he may already have been working away from home, possibly at sea.

Adult Life

1030 Register

By the 1939 Register, Elizabeth Beynon was living at 21 Carnglas Road, Sketty, undertaking household duties. Also at the address was her son James F. Beynon, recorded as a Steward on S.S. Meta, confirming his established career in the Merchant Navy.

Service in the Merchant Navy

James continued to serve at sea, rising to the rank of Chief Steward, a senior and responsible position aboard merchant vessels. During the Second World War, he served on the S.S. Empire Amethyst.

Sinking of S.S. Empire Amethyst – 14^th April 1942

The S.S. Empire Amethyst was a British tanker operated by the Ministry of War Transport, carrying vital fuel supplies during the Second World War. On 14^th April 1942, while sailing independently from New Orleans to Freetown, the vessel was attacked in the South Atlantic by the German submarine U‑154, fired a torpedo that struck the tanker with devastating force. The explosion ignited the ship’s cargo, and the Empire Amethyst was quickly engulfed in flames. The crew had little chance to escape as the burning vessel sank rapidly. Many of those on board were lost, including Chief Steward James Frederick Beynon. The sinking was one of many attacks on unescorted merchant ships during this period, highlighting the extreme dangers faced by Merchant Navy personnel throughout the Battle of the Atlantic.

Death and Commemoration

Merchant Seamen Deaths

James Frederick Beynon
Tower Hill Memorial
credit - Benjidog Histroical Research Resources.
The Merchant Navy Memorial

According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Chief Steward James Frederick Beynon, of 21 Carnglas Road, Sketty, lost his life on 14^th April 1942 when the Empire Amethyst was sunk. As with so many Merchant Navy personnel who died at sea with no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, ensuring his service and sacrifice are remembered