Trevor Kingdom – Merchant Navy, S.S. Empire Amethyst

Greaser Trevor Kingdom – Merchant Navy, S.S. Empire Amethyst

Early Life and Background

Merchant Seamen Deaths

Trevor Kingdom was born in 1897 in Swansea. Little survives regarding his early life or family circumstances, but the available records show that he later made his home in the Sketty area of the town. According to the Merchant Seamen Deaths register, Trevor’s last known address was 15 Prospect Place, Sketty, a detail that places him firmly within the Swansea community before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Merchant Navy Service

Trevor served with the Merchant Navy as a Greaser, a vital engine‑room rating responsible for lubricating and maintaining the ship’s machinery. Greasers worked in some of the harshest and most dangerous conditions at sea, especially aboard tankers carrying volatile cargoes. Trevor’s service placed him among the many Swansea men who kept Britain’s wartime supply routes open despite constant threat from enemy attack.

The S.S. Empire Amethyst

Trevor Kingdom
Tower Hill Memorial
credit - Benjidog Histroical Research Resources.
The Merchant Navy Memorial

The S.S. Empire Amethyst was a British steam tanker of 8,023 tons, built in 1941 to support Britain’s wartime fuel supply. On 23 January 1942, during an earlier voyage, she rescued five survivors from the Norwegian vessel Innerøy, which had been sunk by U‑553, and safely landed them at Halifax. This act of rescue highlights the dual role of merchant ships during the war: delivering vital cargoes while also responding to the tragedies unfolding across the Atlantic.

The Final Voyage and Loss of the Ship

On 13 April 1942, the Empire Amethyst was sailing independently from New Orleans to Freetown, carrying 12,000 tons of clean oil, a highly flammable and strategically essential cargo. East of the Caribbean, she was torpedoed by the German submarine U‑154. The attack was devastating. The tanker was destroyed with the loss of all on board: the master, 40 crew members, and six gunners. Among those who perished was Greaser Trevor Kingdom, whose duties in the engine room placed him at the heart of the ship’s operations during the attack.

Commemoration

With no known grave but the sea, Greaser Trevor Kingdom 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 Swansea’s maritime heritage and reflects the sacrifice made by families across the city whose sons served at sea in Britain’s hour of need.