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  14. Merchant Navy Day Flag Raising

Merchant Navy Day Flag Raising

The Chairman raised the Merchant Navy Flag on 3rd September 2024.

MNA 1

The Chairman gave thanks to all who serve, or have served in the Merchant Navy, also to remember those who are no longer with us, be it through conflict or other reasons.

MNA 5

The Chairman concluded that without the Merchant Navy either past or present, our country and others around the world would be far less fortunate than we are today.

MNA 2

Captain John Sail sent the Chairman some words to include for this event;

The First and Last loss of the Second World War were merchant ships and their crew: the SS Athenia and the MV Avondale. The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest battle of WWII. Over 100,000 allied merchant seafarers lost their lives with an appaling one in four of them never returning home and many more injured with over 4,000 placed in concentration camps.

Those men and women are now included in the Armed Forces Covenant.

Merchant ships and their crews have been involved in 15 wars and conflicts since WWII including the Falklands conflict where 52 merchant ships and 17 RFA's did their duty to both support and enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces to such an extent that Admiral Woodward insisted that it be reported there were four services involved in the Falkland conflict. I often battled with the BBC for appropriate recognition but we did gain regular name chacks for the MNA (Merchant Navy Association) during the Cenotaph events.

In mentioning the Cenotaph, it should also be remembered that until I wrote to the RBL, making a case for 'Official' MN attendance, the MN marched in Column Y with the Boy Scouts. They now march proudly in column E with the RN and RNA and every three years, in rotation, Column E leads the march passed the memorial.

Frankly, as an island nation, to say that Britian could have survived the war without the courage and commitment of the merchant seafarers is a gross neglect of the often strategic and significant role of the Brisitsh and Allied merchant seafarers.

MNA 3

The Chairman thanked everyone for attending.