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Posted by guest on 3rd September 2010 at 05:43 PM
Video: Salford honours Merchant Navy heroes
By: Tony Flynn

Today is the 71st anniversary of the outbreak of World War Two, and to remember this event, members of the Salford branch of The Merchant Navy Association held a wreath laying ceremony at the monument at Salford Quays.

The role that the Merchant Navy played in this conflict is often overlooked, the Merchant Navy lost at least 35,000 merchant seaman who died as a direct or indirect consequence of the war.

In total 2,426 British registered ships were lost, with a tonnage of 11,331,933 (27,491 men lost their lives through German U-boats) together with 5,000 taken prisoner this was a casualty rate of an astonishing 85%.

Led by Len Sidebottom, the President and Chairman of the Salford branch, a wreath was laid and a moving speech was made followed by a two minute silence, observed by the 20 or so members who attended the event.

The general feeling amongst the members was that the memorial on the Quays is virtually hidden away and ignored by passerbys whilst the memorials in the City of Salford to members of the other armed forces are in prominent positions and regularly maintained.

John Bainbrige, the Vice Chairman of the association, spoke about the role that Salford docks played in the war effort and the many seamen who sailed out of Salford never to return.

Other members in attendance were Eric Taylor, Lee Clare, Alfie Shields, Joe Barry, Brian Nelson, John Ward and many others.

The Mayor of Salford Councillor George Wilson, who himself worked on Salford docks for over forty years, also attended the ceremony and gave a small talk to the members and promised to help them get more recognition and hopefully an invitation to the Mayoral parlour for a chat.

The association still meet every month at Patricroft Working Class Men's Club, Leigh Street, Patricroft, Eccles.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  3rd September 2010
This is what makes SalfordOnline so watchable and unique, a truly fitting tribute to those brave men who sailed out of Salford Docks never to return, and those survivors left to tell the story, a moving tribute to those brave people, you should watch this and be grateful for those who layed down their lives for us. Excellent once again.

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