AUG 31 Merchant Navy flag raising.

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AUG 31 Merchant Navy flag raising.

HOSTED BY THE MERCHANT NAVY ASSOCIATION (WALES) BARRY BRANCH.

ALL WELCOME, please support our Merchant Navy and Mercantile Marine friends.

A service to mark Merchant Navy Day, raise the 'Red Duster' and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in Service. In this WW1 Centenary year the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry branch will particularly remember those many men who sailed from Barry, never to return, 100 years ago and in the years since.

31 August at 10:00–10:30 - The Merchant Navy Monument, the Vale of Glamorgan Civic Offices, Holton Road, CF63 4RU Barry, South Wales.

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British Mercantile Marine - Merchant Navy.

(1914 / 1918) 1918 – 2018.

A ceremony will be held to honour members of the Merchant Navy and remember those of the earlier and WW1 Mercantile Marine at the Merchant Navy Memorial, Barry which was created in 1996. The twenty three foot high monument in Portland stone commemorates the merchant seamen of Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan who died in the First and Second World Wars and bears plaques in tribute and records their names. The Anchor Memorial at the old dock side tributes all Seafarers; many sailed from the port but could not return. Our veterans did not forget about us. Let’s not forget about them.
Barry has been noted amongst other things as being a former Merchant Navy Town, our historic port once described as the “Gateway to the World". During conflict, together with the other South Wales ports, the part that Barry and her docks, built mainly for coal, was vital.
The Vale of Glamorgan Council along with the local branches of the Merchant Navy Association, Royal British Legion and other supporters commemorates Merchant Navy Day every year. The Vale authority will ‘Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day’ and both remember and honour the brave Merchant Seafarers who have made the ultimate sacrifice throughout our history, but particularly during the two World Wars and conflicts since.
Since 2000 and the first Merchant Navy Day the Vale Authority working with the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry branch has honoured the brave men and women who kept our island nation afloat during conflict and both remember and honour the local brave Merchant Seafarers who have made the ultimate sacrifice throughout our history.
This year the local annual ceremony will be held on Friday, August 31, ahead of the official day on Monday, September 3. The ceremony will remember and tribute all seafarers’ past and present.
In wartime, Britain depended on civilian cargo ships to import food and raw materials, as well as transport soldiers overseas, and keep them supplied. The title 'Merchant Navy' was granted by King George V after the First World War to recognise the contribution made by merchant sailors.
Britain’s merchant fleet was the largest in the world during both world wars. In 1939 a third of the world’s merchant ships were British, and there were some 200,000 sailors. Many 'British' merchant seamen came from parts of the British Empire, such as India, Hong Kong and West African countries. Women also sometimes served at sea in the Merchant Navy.
During both world wars, Germany operated a policy of 'unrestricted submarine warfare', or sinking merchant vessels on sight. Early in WW1 an average of more than 13 ships were being sunk each day. By the end of the war, more than 3,000 British flagged merchant and fishing vessels had been sunk and nearly 15,000 merchant seamen had died. During the Second World War, 4,700 British-flagged ships were sunk and more than 29,000 merchant seamen died.
Since the Second World War, the British Merchant Navy has become steadily smaller, but has continued to help in wartime, notably during the Falklands War. More recently, merchant seamen have been vulnerable to pirate attacks in the Indian Ocean.
For the fourth year running, Seafarers UK has campaigned for the Red Ensign – the UK Merchant Navy’s official flag – to be flown for 3rd September on civic buildings and landmark flagpoles across the UK. Parish, community, town, city, district and borough councils were all invited to take part, along with higher-tier local authorities and governments.
The principal Merchant Navy Day service in the UK takes place at the National Merchant Navy Memorial in Trinity Square Gardens on Tower Hill, London at 12.30pm on Sunday, 9 September. Organised by the Merchant Navy Association, it is held there each year on the Sunday immediately following Merchant Navy Day.
The memorial bears the names of 35,842 merchant seafarers, men and women, civilians all, from the First and Second World Wars, together with the Falklands Campaign for whom there is no grave but the sea. It is in the care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Since 2000, Merchant Navy Day on 3rd September has honoured the brave men and women who kept our 'island nation' afloat during both World Wars, and celebrated our dependence on modern day merchant seafarers who are responsible for 95% of the UK's imports, including half the food we eat, plenty of the fuel we burn and virtually all the products and goods we take for granted!
Although Merchant Navy day is now the 3rd of September every year, this year the date falls on a Monday, participants are encouraged to fly the flag for the whole week! The target is for the Red Ensign to be flown ashore at 800 locations.
Join the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry branch at this time in mindful recognition of those who lost their lives in both times of conflict and peace. We hold dear our past friends and colleagues as well as all those who sailed near and afar with our countries health and wellbeing in mind.
Seafarers UK intend to raise public awareness of the UK’s ongoing dependence on seafarers, this campaign invites Councils and Local Authorities to fly the Red Ensign – the official flag of the UK Merchant Navy – ashore atop civic buildings and on prominent flagpoles on Merchant Navy Day, 3 September (or the nearest weekend).
This year every Community, Parish, Town and City council has been asked to take part, in addition to all Borough, District and County councils, plus Unitary Authorities throughout the UK.
Many flag-hoisting ceremonies are attended by local Merchant Navy Association (MNA) and Royal British Legion members, who welcome being part of the nationally co-ordinated campaign. This year it is hoped that the Red Ensign will be flown ashore at 800 locations around the UK
There are many locations where the Red Ensign can be freely flown ashore - civic centres, town halls, public libraries, village greens, churches, sports venues, historic buildings, tourist attractions, ports, etc.
This year hundreds of local flag-hoisting ceremonies will be organised, involving VIPs, civic dignitaries, Merchant Navy veterans, naval cadets, etc. remember the sacrifices, salute the courage and support the future of the often unsung personnel of our Merchant Navy.' Seafarers UK’s president HRH The Earl of Wessex said: ‘I very much hope you will support this campaign to remember the sacrifices, salute the courage and support the future of the often unsung personnel of our Merchant Navy.’.
The local Merchant Navy Association branch ask that local residents, please support our Merchant Navy and Mercantile Marine friends. The service to mark Merchant Navy Day, raise the 'Red Duster' and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in Service. "During WW2, Barry lost a greater number of men, per head of population, than any other port in Britain."
In this WW1 Centenary year the MNA Barry branch and valued associates will particularly remember those many men who sailed from Barry, never to return, 100 years ago and in the years since. Further of note is the Paddle Steamer, PS. Barry, built for, and named after the town, that fulfilled her Channel day tripping duties in peacetime and was called to arms twice for both World Wars, surviving WW1 serving as far as Gallipoli and Dunkirk WW2, lost in an enemy attack a year later.
Friday, August 31, from 10:00 until 10:30 - The Merchant Navy Monument, the Vale of Glamorgan Civic Offices, Holton Road, Barry.

The Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry branch