Merchant Navy, the Forgotten Service

[ombugge]

From Maasmond Newsclippings today:

Remembering the forgotten service
Remembrance Sunday 14th November is when we remember all those who made sacrifices to enable us to try and live in freedom. Whilst applauding all the various bodies and organisations who are preparing to honour all those who partook and made sacrifices in World War I and World War II, I do hope that the Merchant Navies (MN) of all nations will not be forgotten. These Merchant Navies played a very important part in both these conflicts, as well as other conflicts. General Montgomery paying tribute said ‘Without the ships and brave men of the Merchant Navy we would have had neither men nor materiel with which to carry out our duties in defeating the enemy’ There was no phoney war period for these men, the first casualty of WWII was a British merchant vessel sunk on the day war broke out and the last casualty of the war in Europe was a merchant vessel sunk after the Armistice was signed, over 10,000 British merchant seamen died before a single bomb was dropped on London. British and other nationality seamen continued to be casualties in the Pacific theatre which was still at war until VJ day in 1945. Numerous Merchant vessels evacuated British and French Forces from Dunkirk. All these Merchant Service personnel were volunteers even returning to duty after having een sunk one or more times and experiencing unimaginable privitations in open lifeboats for weeks on end. Incidentally their pay was stopped the day their vessel was sunk; now that is what you call gratitude for service.
Over 800 Merchant vessels were in the D-Day Landings, they didn’t make only one journey, they went backwards and forwards across the channel to keep troops supplied with essential equipment and stores. They also served at other Beach Heads during the war in the Mediterranean and North Africa performing the same service. Please do not forget these British 35,000 plus Merchant Navy personnel who lost their lives in WWII, this figure does not include a further 11,600 who later died in the period 1942-1944 ashore from injuries received whilst serving in convoys. When you add the seamen from Holland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark etc whose nations put their vessels under control of the UK Ministry of War Transport then those losses exceed 57,000 souls who have no known grave but the oceans they reside in. Those figures do not include the MN personnel who served in USA, Australian, New Zealand and other allied vessels, the MN suffered more casualties than any Armed Services detachments. In addition to those who sacrificed their lives in WWII it is a little known fact that many Merchant Navy personnel of all nationalities were held as prisoners of war in Germany, Japan and also in Central Africa by the Vichy French, many of whom did not survive those experiences. Merchant seamen served in subsequent war zones such as, but not limited to Korea, Malaysia, Suez, Falklands, Iraq, without fear or favour. In this modern day they are subject to pirate attacks (these are not comical swashbuckling Johnny Depp type pirates) in all parts of the world, East and West Africa, Malacca Straits and South America, many have been killed, some held captive for up to two years, some still held captive, some missing whereabouts unknown. These men, both past and present are worth remembering for the unseen service they provide on a daily basis in dangerous waters, both piratical and stormy worldwide. Although these men may never have their two minutes silence for duty served perhaps people will give them one minutes silence in their hearts and thank them for keeping our world alive. These merchant seafarers of all nations served on cargo ships to bring food and ordnance to troops at home and abroad as well as to the inhabitants of many countries, they served on oil tankers bringing the necessary fuel to keep fighter planes flying, there was no domestic production in the UK at that period, without the fuel there would have been no ‘Battle of Britain’ they fuelled bombers; they served on troop ships taking and returning men to and from theatres of war, they served on Hospital ships bringing sick and wounded home; they served on coastal vessels keeping power stations supplied to enable war materiel to be produced, not only did they serve on them, they sacrificed their lives on them. Supply ships were the prime target of the enemy at any beach head, without supplies, armies cannot operate. We must remember them all, those of all nationalities, they continue to serve the world today sailing into various war zones, pirate areas, covid areas without fear or favour, mostly unseen and mostly forgotten, mostly unappreciated and let us not forget their constant battle with mother nature to keep the world turning, By : Ivan Cloherty Torquay TQ1 2DX/UK

[freighterman1]

If you are ever in London take time to pay your respects at the Tower Hill Memorial in Trinity Square Gardens. Bronze plaques list the dead of all the merchant mariners and fishermen who died at sea in WW1, WW2, and the Falklands War. When you read the plaques you’re struck by all the Indian and Asian names in the crews.

It’s like The Wall, only it was built 30 years earlier.

Tower Hill Memorial

Since you’re there already, take a look at the Ten Trinity Square building. A huge, ornate place. Must be a capitol building, or a cathedral right? Nope. It was built as headquarters for the London Port Authority. Headquarters for running all the docks and pools and canals that were once the lifeblood of the city. Shows you how much wealth came into that one port at one time. Shipping ruled back then.

10 Trinity Square | History

[cmakin]

Although it has been a couple of years now, I have spent quite a bit of time in London, and especially The City. I am very familiar with both of these. In fact, during one of my early trips, a major insurance broker was housed in 10 Trinity Square, and had a very tense meeting in the building. One of those with a VERY long table surrounded by lots of important folks. . . .well, it all worked out in the end. Getting around the inside of the building was like running a maze. Fascinating, to be sure.