Vivian Llewellyn Edwards – Merchant Navy, S.S. Empire Lancer

Chief Officer Vivian Llewellyn Edwards – Merchant Navy, S.S. Empire Lancer

Early Life and Family Background

Vivian Llewellyn Edwards was born in 1909 in Waunarlwydd, Glamorgan, the son of Walter Emlyn Edwards and Elizabeth Ann Edwards. 

1911 Census

The 1911 Census records the family living at 1 Lawson Road, Seaton Carew, Durham, where Walter Emlyn, aged 25, worked as a steel smelter, and his wife Elizabeth Ann, also 25, cared for their young family. Their children were Kenneth William Thomas (3), Vivian Llewellyn (2), and James Griffiths (1 month). A boarder, Jonah Griffiths (53), was also present.

1921 Census

The family later suffered the loss of Walter Emlyn, who died in 1918 at Hartlepool. By the 1921 Census, Elizabeth Ann had moved with her children to 34 Catham Vale, Redland, Bristol, where she was employed as a Staff Superintendent at the Cadena Café. Her children—Kenneth (13), Vivian (12), and James (10)—were all attending school.

In 1941, Vivian married Beatrice A. Brown in Bristol.

Service in the Merchant Navy

Vivian went on to serve with the Merchant Navy, rising to the rank of Chief Officer, a senior position responsible for navigation, ship operations, and the safety of the crew. At the time of his final voyage, his recorded address was 34 Grange Road, Southport.

He served aboard the S.S. Empire Lancer, a British cargo steamer operating during the later years of the Second World War.

Loss of the S.S. Empire Lancer – 16^th August 1944

S.S. Empire Lancer 
credit - wrecksite

The S.S. Empire Lancer was a 7,037‑ton British cargo steamer, built in 1942 by Lithgows of Port Glasgow for the Ministry of War Transport. Like many “Empire” ships, she was part of the vast wartime merchant fleet that kept Britain supplied during the conflict.

On 16^th August 1944, while sailing in the Mozambique Channel, the Empire Lancer was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U‑862. The attack was sudden and devastating. The torpedo strike caused catastrophic damage, and the vessel sank with the loss of Captain Maximes Jollivet, 36 crew members, and five DEMS gunners. There were no survivors.

Although the Allies had gained the upper hand at sea by 1944, the Indian Ocean and surrounding waters remained vulnerable to long‑range U‑boat patrols. The sinking of the Empire Lancer demonstrates that even in the later stages of the war, merchant ships continued to face deadly threats far from home waters.

Among those lost was Chief Officer Vivian Llewellyn Edwards, whose leadership role placed him at the heart of the ship’s operations. His death, along with that of his shipmates, stands as a stark reminder of the dangers faced daily by Merchant Navy personnel.

Death and Commemoration

Merchant Seamen Deaths

Vivian Llewellyn Edwards
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - findagrave

According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Chief Officer Vivian Llewellyn Edwards lost his life on 16^th August 1944 when the Empire Lancer was sunk. 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.