George was born in Charlton, Kent in 1900 to George Halter and Charlotte Bonner Adams. In the 1901 Census he is living with his parents and sister, Elsie Charlotte above their father’s bakery shop at 339 Woolwich Road, Greenwich. By the time of the 1911 Census the family were still living above the shop although George and his mother, sister and new sister, May, were visiting Southend-on-Sea.
George was a Wireless Operator in the Merchant Navy during the war. In 1918 he was aboard the SS Eupion, a British steamship. On 3rd October 1918 the ship was en route from Philadelphia, heading for Limerick in Ireland. There were 32 crew on board and a U.S.A. naval signalman, under the command of the master, Albert Edward Calver. The ship was carrying a cargo of 4,200 tons of petroleum. The ship had 2 lifeboats, each capable of carrying 35 persons, 3 other boats and a raft which could have carried 110 persons. Just off Loop Head, West Coast of Ireland the ship was torpedoed by an enemy submarine, UB123 and sunk.
A Formal Investigation was held into the sinking and the Report of Court gives us a detailed description of the fate of George Halter – who had tried to survive on the raft – and the other eleven men who died:
At 1pm the lookout reported sighting a possible periscope. The master increased speed and started zig-zagging but at 3.25pm he spotted a torpedo heading towards the ship. There were two explosions and one lifeboat was destroyed. A small boat capsized and two men were thrown into the water.
The botswain cut adrfit the raft and floated off with two crew. The three men pulled six men out of the water onto the raft, including the master and George Halter. The master then spotted a lifeboat around 50 yards away. The submarine had surfaced close to the raft and several Germans were standing on the submarine “Some were smoking and some taking photographs. Some were at the gun, and at different times this was trained on the raft, on the wreck and on the lifeboat. Witnesses from the raft spoke to this threatening attitude of the submarine”. The submarine also passed two men floating on wreckage, but made no attempt to rescue them. Those on the raft tried to rescue the two men, but they lost sight of them at 7pm.
The seas were rough and constantly washed over the raft and the men were wet through. They made constant attempts to call the lifeboat to assist them “and if the submarine had not adopted such a menacing attitude, they could easily have pulled to it and taken the men off.” There were no distress signals or provisions on the raft. During the first night one man died and during the morning of 4th October one man “lost his reason, jumped overboard and was drowned”. Just before noon George Halter died of exposure. Another two men died before the four remaining men were rescued by a Government motor launch off Kilcadan Head at 10am on 5th October after 42 1/2 hours afloat. Of the four another man died shortly after rescue. George’s body was taken ashore.
The report states “The Court finds it difficult to express in terms of moderation its opinion of the conduct of those in charge of the enemy submarine. After sinking the “Eupion” without warning they deliberately prevented those in the boat from rescuing those on the raft or making a further search of survivors, and although they passed close by to the two men clinging to the wreckage they left them to their fate.”
George was buried in Plumstead Cemetery on 14th October 1918 alongside his father who had died on 21st March 1912. Although only 18 he left a £207 2s 3d to his mother Charlotte.
He was awarded the Mercantile Marine War Medal (This medal was awarded by the Board of Trade of the United Kingdom to members of the Merchant Navy for one of more voyages through a war or danger zone during WW1). On the reverse side of the medal it shows a merchant ship ploughing her way through stormy seas, and an enemy submarine sinking and a sailing vessel in the background.
George’s name was added to the East Wickham and Welling War Memorial as his parents’ address was given as 22 Lewis Road, Welling by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It is likely that his mother moved there after her husband died and is possible that George himself never lived in Welling.
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This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to George Henry Halter, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.