Merchant Navy seafarers remembered on Armistice Day at Nautilus Mariners' Park

Retired mariners, families and staff at Nautilus Mariners' Park in Wallasey held a special service commemorating Merchant Navy seafarers beside the Atlantic Stone on Friday 11 November 2022 to mark Armistice Day.

The Atlantic Stone commemorates veterans of the Battle of the Atlantic, some of whom have lived at the park.

During the commemoration the Red Ensign was raised and lowered in memory of Merchant Navy veterans by resident Tony Wilson, a former chief officer on heavy lift vessels working in the offshore industry. The ceremony was conducted by a former Blue Funnel Line master, Alan Leach.

A wreath was also laid by Nautilus director of welfare and care Andrew Jones, and a list was read out of the residents who had passed away in 2021 at the care home and at other independent housing at the Park.

During the Last Post a two minute silence was led by the Union's head of IT Tom O’Brien.

Previously a hidden chapter in history, Merchant Navy seafarers have been properly honoured in the UK since the year 2000 at London's Cenotaph. Merchant Navy Day is now also commemorated on 3 September each year in memory of the day that the first UK ship was torpedoed by a U-boat – the transatlantic passenger liner SS Athenia, which sunk with the loss of 117 civilian passengers and crew – in 1939 during the Second World War.

This weekend the Union will also further remember Merchant Navy colleagues who died serving their country in wartime with official representation at services at the Merchant Navy memorial at Tower Hill and Westminster in London.

Nautilus members who would like to have their attendance at a ceremony covered in the Telegraph and on this website should email a high-quality photo to telegraph@nautilusint.org by 12 noon on Monday 14 November. If you have any further questions, please write to us at telegraph@nautilusint.org.