Merchant Navy Day commemorated

Red Ensign – Heywood, Rochdale Borough commemorates Merchant Navy Day

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Veterans and local councillors gathered in the Memorial Gardens across the Borough for the inaugural commemoration of Merchant Navy Day on Thursday (3 September).

The message read out in all Townships said: 'On this Merchant Navy Day, I very much hope you will support this campaign by Seafarers UK to remember the sacrifices, salute the courage and support the future of the often unsung personnel of our Merchant Navy. Too often they are the forgotten or invisible service, by raising the Red Ensign you will ensure at least on this day they are remembered. Your act will mean so much to their families and to the retired, but most especially to those at sea.'

Councillor Alan McCarthy, Rochdale Council Armed Forces Lead Member, said “I am proud that we finally recognise the sacrifice made and the work done by our Merchant Navy and that this will become an annual event across the Borough. It’s time to celebrate the role of a fleet whose men and women braved perilous journeys across the Atlantic and Arctic during the world wars, and whose ships sail the globe today bearing our colours. What better way to do it than by flying the flag.”

Flags were the principal means of communication at sea for centuries.

The men, women and ships of the United Kingdom’s Merchant Navy served our country heroically during two World Wars.

The fleet has a long and illustrious history that has seen it play a vital role in our country’s commercial interests, proudly flying the Red Ensign across the oceans of the world.

In peace-time and throughout dangerous conflicts, the Merchant Navy has worked tirelessly and bravely to help keep our economy buoyant, providing employment on land and sea for officers, deck hands, engineers, cooks, stewards, seamen, dock workers and many more others.

In the first and second world wars, the merchant fleets suffered heavy losses from German U-boat attacks.

A policy of unrestricted warfare meant that merchant seafarers were at constant risk of attack from enemy ships and submarines.

Nearly eight million tons were lost to U-boats in the first world war, and 14,661 merchant seafarers were killed.

It was the effect of these casualties and their bereaved families, together with those from the Royal Navy and fishing fleets, which led to the formation in 1917 of King George’s Fund for Sailors – now known as Seafarers UK the charity which is leading the drive for Merchant Navy Day to be widely commemorated.