Cecil Desmond Walter Langstaff – Merchant Navy, S.S. British Yeoman

Ordinary Seaman Cecil Desmond Walter Langstaff – Merchant Navy, S.S. British Yeoman

Early Life and Family Background

Cecil Desmond Walter Langstaff was born in 1925 in Swansea, the son of William Frederick Leonard Langstaff and Edith Ethel Dorothy Wright. Although details of his early life are limited, the surviving records show that he later lived in London, while still retaining his Welsh roots.

Merchant Navy Service

Merchant Seamen Deaths

Cecil served with the Merchant Navy, holding the rank of Ordinary Seaman, one of the essential junior deck ratings responsible for supporting the daily running and safety of the ship. According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Cecil was living at 201 Hazelbank Road, Catford, London, at the time of his service. He lost his life on 14 July 1942, following the sinking of the S.S. British Yeoman during the Second World War.

The S.S. British Yeoman

S.S. British Yeoman
credit - wrecksite

The S.S. British Yeoman was a British steam tanker of 6,990 tons, built in 1923 by Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co. Ltd., Jarrow and Hebburn‑on‑Tyne, and owned by the British Tanker Company Ltd., London. Like many tankers of the period, she played a vital role in transporting fuel essential to the Allied war effort, often sailing unescorted through dangerous waters.

The Final Voyage and Loss of the Ship

On 15 July 1942, the British Yeoman was on passage from Curaçao to Gibraltar, carrying 9,700 tons of Admiralty fuel oil, when she was torpedoed by the German submarine U‑201. The attack occurred at 01:46 CET, setting the unescorted tanker ablaze. Despite the initial strike, the vessel remained afloat for several hours.

At 10:08 CET, U‑201 re‑engaged the damaged tanker, firing 61 rounds of gunfire. The British Yeoman finally sank at 12:00 CET. The loss of life was severe: the Master, 35 crew members, and seven gunners were killed in the attack. Only ten crew members survived, rescued by the Spanish tanker Castillo Almenara and later landed at St Vincent, in the Cape Verde Islands.

Cecil Desmond Walter Langstaff
Tower Hill Memorial
credit - Benjidog Histroical Research Resources.
The Merchant Navy Memorial

Among those who perished was Ordinary Seaman Cecil Desmond Walter Langstaff, whose duties placed him at the heart of the ship’s operations during the attack.

Commemoration

With no known grave but the sea, Ordinary Seaman Cecil Desmond Walter Langstaff is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London, where his name stands among those of thousands of Merchant Navy personnel who gave their lives during the Second World War. His story forms part of the wider narrative of sacrifice made by merchant seafarers who kept Britain supplied during its darkest years.