Last of the few RIP

[seaweed]

Approximately 185,000 seamen, including 40,000 men of Indian, Chinese and other nationalities, served in the Merchant Navy during World War 2.
30,248 merchant seamen lost their lives in the conflict roughly one in six. A death rate that was higher proportionately than in any of the armed forces. Think about it.
In World War 2,  the first combat fatality was a merchant seaman, killed when a German U-boat sank the liner ATHENIA off the coast of Ireland -- with a heavy loss of life, both crew and passengers. The last person to die after the cessation of hostilities with Germany was also a merchant seaman, when his ship was torpedoed in the North Atlantic three days after the war ended.
The youngest person to die in service of his country in World War 2 was a merchant seaman. Reginald Earnshaw a cabin boy killed aged just 14 years and 152 days...............
We could go on and on.

Lest we forget.

[Rosinish]

Thanks folks for detailed info. as I was unaware of what my father did for sure as he only ever spoke of the good things unfortunately & this all happened a long time before I was born too.

Annie

[Treetotal]

My uncle was shot in both feet at Dunkirk and lived to be 103. I never understood the role of "The Little Ships" until today when I went to see "Dunkirk" at the cinema....what a very powerful and moving film. I can highly recommend it.
Respect
Carol