Wilma Finch – Merchant Navy, M.V. Chinese Prince

Master Wilma Finch – Merchant Navy, M.V. Chinese Prince

Early Life

Wilma Finch

Wilma Finch was born in 1888 in Swansea, the son of Hubert Finch and Emily Eugenie Way, who had married in 1882 in Tynemouth, Northumberland.

1891 Census

By the 1891 Census, the Finch family were living at 64 Wordland Road, Christchurch, Newport. The household was headed by Wilma’s grandmother, Fanny, a 66‑year‑old widow from Devon who was described as “Living by Own Means.” Also present was her daughter Fanny Seward, aged 27.

Wilma’s mother, Emily, then aged 35 and born in Hampshire, was recorded with her young children: Winifred (5), Wilma (3), Ernest (2), and a one‑month‑old infant. The family employed two servants, Jane Bennett (49) and Mary Morgan (16), indicating a comfortable household at that time.

Life changed dramatically when Wilma’s father, Hubert Finch, died in 1898. 

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, 13‑year‑old Wilma was recorded as an Inmate Scholar at the Liverpool Seamen’s Orphan Institution in West Derby, Lancashire—an institution that cared for the children of deceased mariners.

Maritime Career

Certificate of Competency for Extra Master

Despite early hardship, Wilma pursued a distinguished maritime career. In 1920, he was awarded the Certificate of Competency for Extra Master, one of the highest professional qualifications in the Merchant Navy. This achievement marked him as a highly skilled navigator and leader, capable of commanding large merchant vessels on international routes.

Wilma went on to serve as Master in the Merchant Navy, a role carrying immense responsibility for the safety of the ship, its crew, and its cargo.

Loss of the M.V. Chinese Prince – 12^th June 1941

M.V. Chinese Prince
credit - wrecksite

The M.V. Chinese Prince was a British motor cargo vessel of 8,593 tons, built in 1926. On 12^th June 1941, she was sailing from Port Said to Table Bay and Liverpool, carrying a substantial wartime cargo that included 9,167 tons of potash, 1,953 tons of currants, and 1,130 tons of magnesite—materials vital to industry and the war effort.

While on this voyage, the Chinese Prince was torpedoed by the German submarine U‑522. The attack was devastating. The explosion tore into the vessel, causing catastrophic damage and leading to her rapid sinking. Of the 63 people on board, 45 were lost, including many members of the crew who had no chance to escape the stricken ship.

Among those who died was Master Wilma Finch, who was in command at the time of the attack. His leadership and service ended in the line of duty, during one of the most dangerous phases of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Death and Commemoration

Merchant Seamen Deaths

Wilma Finch
Preston Cemetery, Tynemouth
credit - findagrave

According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Master Wilma Finch, of 44 [address], Uplands, lost his life on 12^th June 1941 when the M.V. Chinese Prince was sunk. His body was recovered and he is buried at Preston Cemetery, Tynemouth, bringing him back to the region where his parents had married decades earlier.