Merchant Navy Day 2020.

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Merchant Navy Day 2020.

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Merchant Navy Day On 3 September Will See Red Ensigns Flown Across The UK.



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Will you be flying a Red Ensign ashore on Merchant Navy Day 3 September?

A new guide to taking part is available to read online or download. This recognises that public gatherings will not be appropriate this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But highlights the opportunity for Red Ensigns to be proudly flown on civic buildings to show widespread support for all those merchant seafarers on whom the UK depends for the import of food, fuel, medicines and other essential goods.

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On the 3rd September, we will stand still and remember all those brave Merchant Seamen who died during WW1 & WW2. In WW1, approximately 14,661 merchant seamen died as the result of direct attacks in British shipping. In WW2, a staggering 30,248 Merchant Seamen died. This is a death rate that was higher proportionately than in any of the Armed Forces. However, the most significant and crucial conflict in which merchant seamen were involved was the Battle of the Atlantic. In the longest campaign of the war, the British merchant fleet, with its naval escorts, struggled to bring food, fuel, equipment and raw materials from America and elsewhere across the Atlantic, while Germany mobilized U-boats, battleships, aircraft and mines against them in an attempt to sever Britain's supply lines. At the same time, British and later American shipyards attempted to produce enough ships to replace those that were sunk. It was not until May 1943 that the Battle of the Atlantic was won, although U-Boats continued to operate until the end of the war.

Royal British Legion - Paris France.

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Fly the Red Ensign for Merchant Navy Day – Thursday 3rd September 2020.

Mansion House, Richmond Road, Cardiff.

Cardiff Council is to hold a Flag Raising Ceremony at the Mansion House, to show support for the merchant seafarers on whom the UK depends.

The UK’s prosperity has been dependent on the Merchant Navy since the beginning of international trade. During the two World Wars, without merchant ships and brave seafarers, the UK would have been starved of food and denied other essential supplies.

Representatives from our Veterans organisations, serving Armed Forces personnel and guests will join The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Councillor Daniel De’Ath for this event.

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03 September 2020.

In light of the unprecedented circumstances created by the Covid-19 pandemic, the organisers, Seafarers UK are discouraging public gatherings but are asking participants to fly the Red Ensign from buildings, where it is safe to do so.

Seafarers in the UK and across the world have been in the front line of the social and economic impacts of the Coronavirus. Our members have helped keep the country supplied whilst employers like P&O Ferries have exploited the pandemic to make massive job cuts amongst UK Ratings at the earliest opportunity.

At international level, the crew change crisis is an ongoing travesty. Over 300,000 seafarers stranded on all types of merchant ship, unable to disembark despite the end of their contracts. This has painfully exposed the appalling lack of protection in international law for seafarers from the egregious ‘low cost’ crewing model. Since the first major outbreak of Coronavirus in the shipping industry amongst crew and passengers on the UK-registered Diamond Princess cruise ship in February, merchant seafarers have been and remain trapped on board thousands of merchant ships. This has caused the scandal of avoidable deaths amongst seafarers and a massive increase in fatigue, abandonment, unpaid wages, mental ill-health and periods of work that make a mockery of the 11-month legal limit set by the Maritime Labour Convention.

On this year’s Merchant Navy Day, RMT remember the incredible sacrifices merchant seafarers made in the past and stand in solidarity with our seafarer members, key workers keeping freight and passengers moving to and from our islands today. We also stand in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of seafarers stranded on ships from Tilbury to Tokyo, failed by shipowners and the Flag of Convenience registers which have effectively imprisoned them.

RMT fully support Merchant Navy Day which was established by the charity Seafarers UK of which the Union is a trustee. Where it is safe to do so, Regional Offices are encouraged to fly or display the Red Ensign for one week from Thursday 3rd September.

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Newport Merchant Navy Association

This Thursday (3rd September) will see us once again remember the British Merchant Navy, when the Red Ensign is raised above public and private buildings across the country.

Here in Newport, among other sites, The Civic Centre, The Transporter Bridge and the Mission to Seafarers will be displaying the Red Duster along with our own at the Merchant Navy Memorial on Mariners Green and on the banks of the River Usk at the Raymond Steed and Arctic Convoy memorials.

on that day "we will remember them" please won't you?

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Anyone this way are invited to attend a Barry / Barry Docks socially distanced raising of the Red Ensign.

Though the event will be lesser this year, the intent will be as ever most important.

Wreaths will be laid at the MN Monument in respect of the many lost and in both tribute
and remembrance.

There will be no formal gathering as normally occurs.

The event takes place at 11.00 AM on the 3rd of September.

At the MN Monument outside of the Vale of Glamorgan / Civic building.

Dare say we will have a beer or two later, as a toast and at safe distance etc.

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Peterborough City Council is supporting the event which is promoted nationally by Seafarers UK, a charity that helps people in the maritime community.

Normally a public ceremony would be held outside the Town Hall.

Instead, members of the public are invited to watch a video of a private ceremony which will be broadcast on the council’s Facebook and Youtube channels from 10am.

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On Thursday 3 September, Cumbria County Council will show their support for Merchant Navy Day by flying the Red Ensign flag on its flag poles at Kendal’s County Hall, The Courts and Cumbria House in Carlisle.

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“One of the key lessons of World War II was the importance of having skilled, experienced
seafarers to maintain supply lines during times of crisis. It is essential that as a nation
we don’t forget it.”