ROBERT PENDRILL THOMAS

Third Engineer, S.S.Bayronto, Merchant Navy

Robert Pendrill Thomas was born in 1888 in Morrison, Glamorgan to Robert Thomas, a rollerman at a steelworks, originally from Aberavon, and Hannah Thomas née Davies originally from Morriston, Glamorgan. In 1891 the Thomas family were living at Plas-y-Coed, Morriston. By 1901 they had moved to Railway Terrace, Pontardawe. In 1911 Robert Pendrill Thomas had moved to Cardiff, was working as a fitter and was living with his sister and her family at ‘Plas-y-coed’, 7 Cefn Coed Road, Cardiff.  His brother-in-law was Dr David Evans, professor of music in Cardiff University and composer/arranger of many works including the popular hymn Be Thou My Vision.  In WWI Robert served as a third engineer in the merchant nave on board S.S.Bayronto.  On 30 Jul 1918 the S.S.Bayronto was torpedoed and damaged by a German U-boat.  The S.S.Bayronto survived but two men including Robert, aged 30, were killed. His body was brought home to Wales on 12 Aug 1918 and buried at St Samlet church, Llansamlet.  A CWGC headstone has recently been added in the churchyard which includes the words ’buried elsewhere in this churchyard.  He is remembered on the Pembroke Terrace Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel memorial in Cardiff (mis-spelt R Pendal Thomas) where his brother-in-law Dr David Evans was a deacon.  He is also remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial to Merchant Seamen in London and on the Pontardawe War Memorial and St Peter’s Church Memorial, Pontardawe. Commonwealth War Graves Commission record.