Merchant Navy Day

[admin]

This is the most informative site I've managed to find so far. www.british-merchant-navy.co.uk/

I'm sure Ron would be happy sit in the Hatters with a pint of mild and tell you a few stories too.

Some good news........Peter and I have agreed that the Marple Website will donate £30 towards the cost of the Red Duster to be flown at the Council Offices, which will reduce a little the amount of money that Ron will have to find from elsewhere or pay out of his own pocket.

We also congratulate Ron on his perseverance in persuading the Council to do something - we know how hard this can be at times!

[Rachael]

Admin, this has fascinated me, how do I find out more, because my son would be interested, he is 11, and its impotant for him to know.

[admin]

THE FORGOTTEN FOURTH SERVICE

We are this year (2005) celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

A lot of people born since then show little interest in the sacrifices made by the people of my generation, but, without these sacrifices the world today would have been completely different. The standard of life, which we all now enjoy, has been possible only by the suffering and sacrifice of the hundreds of thousands of people from 1939 to 1945.

Everyone knows we had an Army, Navy and Air Force, but we had a fourth Service, THE FORGOTTEN MERCHANT NAVY, a civilian service. We were trained to help man the guns that were installed on all merchant ships by the Ministry of Defence. Supporting the D.E.M.S. (Defence Equipment Merchant Ships) gunners, who were either Royal Navy or the Maritime Regiment of the Royal Artillery.

From the day that war was declared on Germany on the 3rd September 1939 to VE Day, 8th May 1945. The Merchant Navy was fighting on all the seas and oceans of the world, carrying supplies to enable the war to be fought in all the campaigns. 2536 British merchant ships were sunk by enemy action.

In the year 2000, HM the Queen declared that September the 3rd Annually would be recognised as INTERNATIONAL MERCHANT NAVY DAY, and that the MN flag, Red Duster should be flown from all public buildings.

I have finally got the Stockport MBC to agree to fly the flag for the first time this year. The flag will have to be purchased, at a cost of approximately £130, by myself.

September 3rd this year falls on a Saturday, and I am hoping to arrange a gathering of interested persons around the flag staff at the Town Hall, at 10-00 A.M., recruiting the services of a local minister and members of the Hawk Green Band, to conduct a short service.

Ron Singleton, Merchant Navy 1944/1956 R307363

Click here for a pdf version of this message for printing off and pinning on notice boards etc.

Posted on behalf of Ron Singleton

[maronbf3]

It is certainly encouraging to have replies to my posting of the "Forgotten Fourth Service". The very generous offer of £30 towards the cost of the Red Duster from the Marple Website is most welcome. Admin,quoting"to be flown at the council offices", I asume you mean the Town Hall. It would be ideal to fly the Red Duster from all the flag staffs in the Stockport MBC, but I know now that this is not possible, but perhaps we can purchase one to be flown from the staff in Marple Memorial park on Sept.3rd. It would be fitting if  persons in other districts of the borough could collectively donate towards a flag in their district. We could be the first area in the UK to do so, leading to every flag staff in the country flying the Red Duster on International Merchant Navy Day. Ron S.