# Merchant navy tribute appeal made (BBC News)



## SN NewsCaster (Mar 5, 2007)

A public appeal is launched to help pay for a new memorial to the thousands of Scottish merchant navy personnel who lost their lives at sea.

More from BBC News...


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## teb (May 23, 2008)

SN NewsCaster said:


> A public appeal is launched to help pay for a new memorial to the thousands of Scottish merchant navy personnel who lost their lives at sea.
> 
> More from BBC News...


Why not British????


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## James_C (Feb 17, 2005)

Because the British memorial is in London, this one is for the locals.


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## joebuckham (Apr 1, 2005)

teb said:


> Why not British????


why not for *every* poor mothers son or daughter who went to sea but never made it back!!!


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## captain61 (Aug 14, 2009)

Why has it taken so long ???


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## Andrew Craig-Bennett (Mar 13, 2007)

I see William Thompson is chairman of the appeal.

I must say I have slightly mixed views on this. 

The MN Memorial is on Tower Hill and every Scot lost at sea in each of the world wars is commemorated there.

I can understand the wish to have a memorial in Scotland, but I am slightly saddened that Scots don't seem to think that the MN Memorial in London is good enough, and puzzled as to why they should think this now, 65 years after the event.


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## James_C (Feb 17, 2005)

As far as I'm aware this memorial is for both those lost during wartime (all wars) as well as peacetime.
There are numerous RN etc memorials dotted around but none dedicated to the MN. 
This is aimed locally, much in the same vein as the memorial in South Shields at the Mill Dam - it's worth remembering that the (very much larger) Tower Hill memorial is some 400 miles away from Edinburgh.


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## Andrew Craig-Bennett (Mar 13, 2007)

That's a good point.


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## John N MacDonald (Apr 1, 2008)

I'd have thought more ships and men sailed from Glasgow!


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## Tom S (Jul 22, 2006)

Andrew Craig-Bennett said:


> I see William Thompson is chairman of the appeal.
> 
> I must say I have slightly mixed views on this.
> 
> ...


The MN Memorial on Tower Hill is dedicated to MN Seafarers lost in Both World Wars in addition to this there is a Memorial to Scottish Seafarers lost in both wars in the Chapel at Edinburgh Castle my Father is amongst the names on both Memorials.
The proposed Memorial in Leith is dedicated to all Scottish Seafarers lost in Both War and peace and is funded by Public and Private donations. In my opinion this is long overdue and is similar to the Memorials in a number of Ports.
I am Scottish and proud of it but I am also British and would welcome any recognition given to my fellow Seafarers who have lost their lives in the Merchant Navy.
Why not William Thomson he is a Member of one of Scotlands most famous Shipping Companies
TomS


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## Andrew Craig-Bennett (Mar 13, 2007)

Tom S said:


> Why not William Thomson he is a Member of one of Scotlands most famous Shipping Companies
> TomS


It was just a snarky comment on the way in which the Thomsons still pretend to the throne of Scotland's shipowners and on the choice of Leith rather than Glasgow. I personally feel that Glasgow would be a better place for such a momnument.


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## McCloggie (Apr 19, 2008)

I have no problems about a monument being raised to Merchant Seaman wherever it is placed.

The difficulty however comes when deciding whose names will be on it. Will it be for all nationalities lost on ships owned or managed by Scottish companies or for ships that sailed from Scottish ports? 

What exactly will the definition of a Scottish sailor be? 

I can see that this project - while being well meaning - could cause controversy and hurt to the families of those whose names are not chosen foe inclusion.

McC


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## James_C (Feb 17, 2005)

I think we're all reading a bit too much into this.
To quote from the Scotsman website:

"A 4.5-metre sandstone column, featuring seafaring scenes covering 700 years, will have pride of place in a public piazza outside the Malmaison Hotel if the fundraising is successful. 
The memorial will commemorate the sacrifice made by about 6,500 Scottish Merchant Navy personnel killed during the two world wars. However, its backers say it is also intended to reflect the contribution made by merchant seamen transporting cargo worldwide for 700 years."

There is also a photo of the mock up on the Scotsman site:
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Princess-champions-memorial-to-honour.6238282.jp

There will be no names on it, with the memorial having a simple dedication surrounded by seafaring scenes.

I can't see how any of this could be thought of as controversial.


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## Tom S (Jul 22, 2006)

As far a I understand there will be no names on the Memorial it will be dedicated to the Men and Women of the Merchant Navy who have lost their lives at Sea and also to the contribution made by Leith Nautical College and the TS Dolphin which are no longer in existence.
TomS


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## McCloggie (Apr 19, 2008)

I have no problems with this concept at all and think that, in the shown format, it is an idea that should be supported.

The origial BBC report did not give the full storey so I was probably a bit too negative.

McC


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## Andrew Craig-Bennett (Mar 13, 2007)

I over-reacted, suspecting a political angle.

Fine idea, hope it goes ahead.


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## charles henry (May 18, 2008)

Fireflies on the Sea

Alarm bells and snowflakes lighting up the sky
Machine gun tracers from some fearing man
Who thought he saw a target in the dark
A flash, a bang, torpedo found its mark

Have you seen fireflies dancing in the sea
Those little lights so ghostly in the waves
Cresting and wallowing in the swell
Marking the spots of a private hell.

Life jacket with battery power
A small red light, a firefly leeward
Of what had been a ship, a she
Marking the spot of what had been, a he

One of many, a sodden wretched corpse	
No grave, no stone to mark the spot	
Of a man who sailed the sea	
Of a ship which used to be.	

Have you seen the fireflies on the swell	
Then you must remember well	
That dreadfull fear, that you might also be	
A firefly dancing on the sea.	

A reminder that they were not all brave "heros" but sometimes just human beings who
tried not to to show what they were perpetually aware of.

Chas


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## greektoon (Oct 17, 2008)

Not controversial and well intended.

However, what I really would like to see is more investment and interest in reinvigorating the British Merchant Navy for the benefit of all adventurous and ambitious young men (and women) in this funny shaped island of ours.


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## Shaky Mick (Oct 24, 2009)

*mn memorial*

Do what you think best


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Anyone seen the Video on TV showing Dutch commandos taking back the ship from the pirates.

John.


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## philipbalfe (Feb 11, 2010)

We have a MN memorial in Dover that we aer verey proud of,
If Scotland wont one good for them. 
Ther shod be a lot moor as we aer the forgoton srivice...---...


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## alastairrussell (Jun 19, 2007)

Dear Friends

I am a wee bit disappointed in the content of some of the posts in this thread! I would like to remind everyone that IMO has declared this year, *2010*, as the *‘Year of the Seafarer’*, so I think it is only right that any port that wants to, can build a memorial dedicated to seafarers who have lost their lives while serving on merchant ships. 

I was registered as a seafarer in the Leith shipping office and I studied for my second engineer’s certificate at the now defunct Leith Nautical College, so I will be making a donation towards the Leith memorial. 

From the Merchant Navy Memorial Trust (Scotland) website:

_The Merchant Navy Memorial Trust (Scotland) was founded in 2009 to commemorate the sacrifice by Scottish Merchant Navy personnel in the two World Wars, other previous and subsequent theatres of conflict and in peacetime service along the trading routes of the world.

www.merchantnavymemorialtrust.org.uk/make-a-donation/_

The following was copied from a previous post that I placed in a different thread:

_IMO have also to be congratulated for building a Monument in London to all international merchant seafarers and for declaring this year *2010* as the *‘Year of the Seafarer’*. I feel, mind you, that they should also have an IMO website recording all the names of the merchant seafarers who have lost their life on board merchant ships since 1959. This was when IMO took over control of world shipping with the intention to regulate the industry, *bringing the safety of shipping into an International framework.* 

I feel the names of those lost should be recorded under the ships name and that a simplified reason for the failure of the ship should also be recorded. Should the ShipsNostalgia website not forward on a petition to IMO of members requesting such a website??? I would be willing to donate a $100 (my100 post) to the cost of running such a website._

Regards 

Alastair


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