Walter Henry Bowen, DSC – Merchant Navy, S.S. Parracombe

Chief Engineer Officer Walter Henry Bowen, DSC – Merchant Navy, S.S. Parracombe

Early Life and Family Background

Lewis Lewis Bowen and Elizabeth Ellen Gordon
marriage certificate
St. Peter's Church, Cockett, Swansea

Walter Henry Bowen was born in 1875 in Loughor, the son of Lewis Lewis Bowen and Elizabeth Ellen Gordon, who married in 1868 at St. Peter’s Church, Cockett, Swansea.

1881 Census

Walter’s father died in 1879, leaving Elizabeth a widow with several young children. By the 1881 Census, the family were living at 67 Brunswick Street, Swansea. Elizabeth, recorded as Eliza E., aged 34, was working as a Dressmaker. Her children present were Ceridwen Catherine (9), Marinia Gwendolin (8), Walter Henry (6), Arthur Lewis (4), and Griffith John (2). Also in the household were her brother, George Edward Gordon (25), and a young servant, Eliza Rosser (16). The census reflects a household supported by extended family during a difficult period.

Marriage and Later Life

1939 Register

In 1900, Walter married Sarah Ann Griffin at Hull, Yorkshire. By the time of the 1939 Register, the couple were living at 458 Mumbles Road, Swansea, where both were recorded as Hay & Corn Merchants, indicating a successful business established alongside Walter’s maritime career.

Service in the Merchant Navy

Walter served with the Merchant Navy, rising to the senior rank of Chief Engineer Officer, responsible for the operation and safety of the ship’s engineering department. His long and distinguished service was recognised with the award of the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for gallantry or distinguished service at sea.

Sinking of S.S. Parracombe – 2^nd May 1941

S.S. Parracombe
credit - wrecksite

The S.S. Parracombe was a 4,737‑ton British steam merchant ship, built in 1925 by William Gray & Co. Ltd., West Hartlepool, and operated by J. & J. Denholm Ltd. During the Second World War she was engaged in transporting vital cargoes across the Atlantic, a route made increasingly dangerous by the growing intensity of German U‑boat operations.

On 2^nd May 1941, while sailing independently from Halifax to the United Kingdom, the Parracombe was attacked in the North Atlantic by the German submarine U‑98, the submarine fired a torpedo that struck the vessel with devastating effect. The explosion caused severe structural damage, and the ship sank rapidly, leaving the crew with little opportunity to abandon ship.

All 38 men on board were lost, including Chief Engineer Officer Walter Henry Bowen, DSC. No survivors were ever recovered. The sinking of the Parracombe occurred during one of the most perilous phases of the Battle of the Atlantic, when U‑boat attacks were at their height and Allied merchant ships faced constant threat. The total loss of the vessel and her crew stands as a stark reminder of the dangers endured by Merchant Navy personnel who kept Britain supplied during the war.

Death and Commemoration

Merchant Seamen Deaths

Walter Henry Bowen, DSC
Tower Hill Memorial
credit - Benjidog Histroical Research Resources.
The Merchant Navy Memorial

According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Chief Engineer Officer Walter Henry Bowen, of 458 Mumbles Road, lost his life on 2^nd May 1941 when the Parracombe was sunk. As he has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, which honours Merchant Navy personnel who died at sea during both world wars. His DSC stands as a lasting testament to his courage and dedication