William Richard Harries – Merchant Navy, S.S. Norman Prince

Master William Richard Harries – Merchant Navy, S.S. Norman Prince

Family Origins in Pembrokeshire and Swansea

William Richard Harries was born in 1899 at Dinas Cross, Pembrokeshire, the son of Owen Daniel Harries and Eliza Mary Richards, who had married in 1894 at Christ Church, Swansea. 

1911 Census

By the time of the 1911 Census, the Harries family were living at 2 Buckingham Terrace, Swansea, a household shaped by steady work, education, and the aspirations of a family rooted in both Pembrokeshire and the growing industrial life of the town.

Life at 2 Buckingham Terrace

Pembrokeshire‑born Owen Daniel Harries, then aged 46, was recorded as a Commercial Traveller, while his wife Eliza May, aged 42, managed a busy home. Their children were William Thomas, 16, an Office Boy; Alfred Oliver, 14; Olive Henina, 13; William Richard, 12; and Glyn Brynn, 4, all of whom were attending school. Also present in the household was a young servant, Olive Phillips, aged 19, reflecting a family of modest but stable means.

Advancement in the Merchant Navy

Certificate of Competency

In 1922, William Richard advanced his maritime career by obtaining a Certificate for First Mate for Foreign‑Going Steamships Only, marking his progression into the professional ranks of the Merchant Navy. Over the following years he rose steadily through the service, eventually becoming Master of the S.S. Norman Prince, a modern cargo steamer built in 1940 for Prince Line Ltd. The vessel, of just over 1,900 tons, was powered by a triple‑expansion engine and designed for general trade routes across the Atlantic and Caribbean. Entering service at a time when merchant shipping faced relentless U‑boat attack, the Norman Prince represented both the vulnerability and the vital importance of Britain’s wartime merchant fleet.

The S.S. Norman Prince: Construction, Service, and Final Voyage

Completed in April 1940 by Smith’s Dock Co. Ltd., South Bank, Middlesbrough, the Norman Prince was a relatively new vessel when she sailed from Barranquilla, Colombia, in May 1942, bound for Port Castries, St Lucia, in ballast. In the early hours of 29^th May 1942, while steaming unescorted about 70 miles west of Martinique, she was sighted by the German submarine U‑156, commanded by Werner Hartenstein. After shadowing the ship for several hours, the U‑boat fired a torpedo at 01.03 hours, striking the starboard side amidships and destroying the engine room. The explosion wrecked the starboard lifeboat, damaged the motor boat, and left the vessel settling by the stern.

The crew attempted to launch the remaining port lifeboat in heavy swell, and eleven men succeeded in boarding it before it was forced to pull clear. Others tried to free rafts as the ship continued to founder. At 01.37 hours, a second torpedo delivered the final blow, striking between the No. 2 and No. 3 holds. The Norman Prince sank almost vertically by the bow, followed by a boiler explosion that threw survivors forward as the stern rose into the air. Many were unable to escape before the vessel disappeared beneath the surface.

Loss at Sea and Official Record

Merchant Seamen Deaths

According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths records, 16 men were killed, including Master William Richard Harries, while 33 survived. Some survivors were later picked up by the French merchant vessel Angoulême and interned by Vichy authorities in Martinique; others were rescued after days adrift, including the radio officer, who was found by a U.S. Coast Guard cutter after two and a half days at sea. Harries, however, was among those lost with the ship.

William Richard Harries
Tower Hill Memorial
credit - Benjidog Histroical Research Resources.
The Merchant Navy Memorial

Commemoration and Legacy

With no known grave, William Richard Harries is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, where the sacrifices of merchant seafarers are preserved in enduring stone. His life and service stand as a testament to the maritime traditions of both Pembrokeshire and Swansea, and to the quiet courage of those who sailed in wartime, often without escort, and at extraordinary personal risk