Post by Admin on Aug 29, 2013 18:31:35 GMT -5
letter to The Courier:
Sir,-In June the country quite rightly celebrated Armed Forces Day with many prominent buildings flying standards and flags of various military units.
In recognition of the sacrifice of the Merchant Navy during world wars and several other conflicts, most notably the Falkland Islands war, the third of September is designated Merchant Navy Day.
In view of the fact that the Merchant Navy lost one in three of its personnel during the second world war, a higher proportion than any of the armed forces, the London Cenotaph displays the Red Ensign — the only non-military organisation so honoured.
Although we no longer have so many UK-registered merchant vessels as we once did, it would be a fitting tribute if the same public buildings which proudly displayed appropriate flags during Armed Forces Day were to fly the Red Ensign as a fitting act of remembrance and as a tribute to the men and women of our Merchant Navy who kept the UK supplied with food, fuel and munitions during world wars and supported the armed forces in many other conflicts.
LINK