MNA (Wales) Barry Branch:

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Bench marks brave and leading men of Barry:

A DEDICATION service honouring all Barry merchant seamen and a former chairman of the Royal British Legion Barry branch has been held in Barry.

Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry Branch chairman, Jim Greenway said the funding had become available thanks to generous donations from an elderly lady and a sum of money from a member who attended a Dutch merchant navy college and ended up at a nuclear power station in Japan.

Jim said: “The lady wanted the brave men of the merchant navy to be remembered and we thought a bench near the cenotaph would be a good idea.”

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The Barry Branch of the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) on Tuesday August 20th presented a bench in memory of all Seafarers’ to the trustees of Barry Memorial Hall to be placed adjacent to the Town Cenotaph.

In an opening address Branch Chairman Jim Greenway said the bench was provided by several generous donations.
The Branch Padre the Reverend Malcolm Davies then dedicated the bench.

The Barry branch of the Royal British Legion presented a similar bench in memory of the late Chairman Mr John Hobbs which was dedicated by Father Ben Andrews.

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THE MERCHANT NAVY ASSOCIATION (WALES) Barry Branch

The Year of the Convoy 2013


Annual Seafarers’ Service at the Memorial Hall: The Year of the Convoy 2013:

We are now able to confirm that the date of our Annual Service will be Saturday 21st September 2013. This is our Sixteenth Service and will again be held in the Memorial Hall, Barry at 11.00 AM. The provisional date for next years’ service is Saturday 20th September 2014.

The Reverend M. Davies, honorary chaplain to the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry Branch, will officiate, whilst the Barry Ladies Choir will provide the musical and vocal accompaniment.

The service is open to all organisations and members of the general public. It is especially hoped that family members of serving and former members of the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will also attend. A collection will be taken during the service towards the cost of the Service and in aid of seafarers’ charities.
In holding a Seafarers’ Service, we acknowledge the vital role played by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force in convoy duties, also all those who follow the calling of the sea, deep sea fishermen, the life boat service etc.

The presence of Branch Standards will be greatly appreciated at the service. The order of parade being:

The Merchant Navy Associations, The Royal Navy, The Royal Air Force, The Royal British Legion and all other standards.
A branch wreath will be laid prior to the service at the Merchant Navy Monument at 10.20 am with a blessing. All other organizations are welcome to lay wreaths at this event.

After the main service the Barry Ladies and Men’s choirs and the RAF Voluntary band will provide entertainment for an hour or so.

We hope that you will continue to support and assist us in helping us to ensure that this is once again, a successful event.

[Admin]

IN THIS YEAR OF THE CONVOY 2013, much has been achieved in Merchant Navy Commemoration and Awareness, the MNA Barry Branch has been much involved and were much involved with yesterday’s MN Stamp of Approval and the GPO - MN stamp launch. It has been a busy year with the year of the convoy seeing National tributes in London, Derry, Liverpool and Loch Ewe for both the Atlantic and Arctic Convoy Veterans.


A trio of medals fought for and finally achieved: Though many still wait for receipt: The Arctic Star, Ushakov bravery award and a new Merchant Navy Medal.

The Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry Branch has been involved to a great degree and the red ensign of the Merchant Navy has been flown often from both the Vale Council offices / Merchant Navy Monument and at the Memorial Hall.

Full Details will be added:.

The local MN Branch will liaise further with Barry at War / Heritage Centre to ensure a local YOC / BOAC(70) etc 2013 further remembrance and review of the year.

Thanks to Ade Pitman and crew that have given every support and help and look forward to the First Anniversary event to near round up a successful year for both Barry History and the MN.

RE: Annual Seafarers’ Service at the Memorial Hall Barry Dock.

We are now able to confirm that the date of our Annual Service will be Saturday 21st September 2013. This is our Sixteenth Service and will again be held in the Memorial Hall, Barry at 11.00 AM. The provisional date for next year’s service is Saturday 20th September 2014.

The Reverend M. Davies, honorary chaplain to the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry Branch, will officiate, whilst the Barry Ladies Choir will provide the musical and vocal accompaniment.

The service is open to all organisations and members of the general public. It is especially hoped that family members of serving and former members of the Merchant Navy, Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary will also attend. A collection will be taken during the service towards the cost of the Service and in aid of seafarers’ charities.
In holding a Seafarers’ Service, we acknowledge the vital role played by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force in convoy duties, also all those who follow the calling of the sea, deep sea fishermen, the life boat service etc.

The presence of Branch Standards will be greatly appreciated at the service. The order of parade being:

The Merchant Navy Associations, The Royal Navy, The Royal Air Force, The Royal British Legion and all other standards.

A branch wreath will be laid prior to the service at the Merchant Navy Monument at 10.20 am with a blessing. All other organizations are welcome to lay wreaths at this event.

After the main service the Barry Ladies and Men’s choirs and the RAF Voluntary band will provide entertainment for an hour or so.

We hope that you will continue to support and assist us in helping us to ensure that this is once again, a successful event.

Yours Sincerely

J. T. Greenway

[Admin]

The Anchor

The Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry Branch

Unveiled and had dedicated during the Year of the Convoy (2013)

The Anchor

Barry Docks: 28th September 2013

In Memory of all Seafarers who sailed from Barry never to return

The tablet was donated by
A.G. Adams and son, 2013

Anchor donated by a local seafarer.

[Admin]

A MEMORIAL honouring Barry and the Vale’s seafarers has been unveiled at Barry Waterfront.

LINK

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Cardiff, Penarth and Barry.

Local AM attends annual Merchant Navy Memorial Service:

The Merchant Navy’s annual memorial service for Seafarers in Cardiff Bay

"The service is a wonderful opportunity to remember the sacrifice of so many seafarers from Cardiff, Penarth and Barry, who gave their lives to keeping our country alive during two world wars. The Seafarers Memorial is a reminder of what we still owe to a previous generation".

LINK

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Cardiff, Penarth and Barry.

Local AM attends annual Merchant Navy Memorial Service:

The Merchant Navy’s annual memorial service for Seafarers in Cardiff Bay

"The service is a wonderful opportunity to remember the sacrifice of so many seafarers from Cardiff, Penarth and Barry, who gave their lives to keeping our country alive during two world wars. The Seafarers Memorial is a reminder of what we still owe to a previous generation".

LINK

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Barry Town Council

The Bryan Foley Shield is an award given to an individual who has shown excellence and commitment through their volunteer work and as a member of the organisation they belong to. The Bryan Foley Shield is open to all those who volunteer within a uniformed organisation operating in Barry and is open to all ages and levels within the organisation.



Bryan Foley was an exceptional member of our community who devoted so much of his time to helping others and sharing his skills and expertise across a number of organisations. Bryan Foley was an inspiring individual and this award, in his honour, hopes to recognise other inspiring individuals so that Bryan’s memory and legacy will continue within the community he loved.

All nominations must be received by Friday, 26 October.

To request a nomination form, please email [e-mail]

Merchant Navy Association (Wales) Barry branch.

It was with great sadness that I had to announce the death of Mr. Bryan Foley of Barry on Saturday 6th June 2020. Bryan was not one of our members but a greater supporter of the Merchant Navy, and the Merchant Navy Association (Wales) in particular, would be hard to find.

He carried the Barry Standard with pride and dignity at numerous events throughout his time with us, and fought the cause for recognition of Merchant Navy veterans not only in Barry but the wider community of Wales. He will be a great loss to the Merchant Navy (Wales), Barry Branch and the Barry community. As a tribute to Bryan the Barry Memorial Hall changed the lights on the Cenotaph to red, white and blue for the 8th to the 12 June. His light will shine brightly over Barry the town that he loved.

MERCHANT NAVY ASSOCIATION (WALES)



Barry town's last salute for an unsung local hero.

A FAMILY has paid tribute to the man described as a “larger than life character” who always had the Barry community at his heart.

Bryan Foley, of Guthrie Street, died unexpectedly on Saturday, June 6, aged 58.

Mr Foley was well known in Barry for his prolific voluntary work.

Following his death, the cenotaph outside the Barry Memorial Hall, was lit up in tribute.

He was a community first responder, a group scout leader with 11th Barry Seas Scouts, and volunteer with the Royal British Legion (RBL). He was involved with the RBL Poppy Appeal and the Merchant Navy Association as a standard bearer.

He assisted the Tall Ships Youth Trust and was with the British Red Cross and St John in his teens and early twenties.

Mr Foley also had links to Barry Coastguard and was a member of Cadoxton Methodist Church which he attended regularly for 30 years.