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Remembering Those Lost at Sea

Published on: September 2023

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-134584

Remembering Those Lost at Sea

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore)

—On the 3rd of September each year we commemorate the anniversary of the first attack on an Allied merchant ship in World War II, only hours after Britain declared war on Germany. This year I joined the Merchant Navy RSL Sub-Branch and members of our local community at Mosman Art Gallery to commemorate Merchant Navy Day and those lost at sea. We will never know the exact number of those brave Australians who served or died during the war in the Merchant Navy. We honour those of the Australian Merchant Navy who have their lives for their country and have no grave but the sea. Merchant Navy crews often faced many dangers and carried out their duties under very difficult conditions, transporting personnel, supplies, and equipment under the constant threat of enemy attack. I want to thank the Merchant Navy RSL Sub-Branch who are dedicated in ensuring that we commemorate this special occasion each September, and of course to Mosman Council who assisted with the organisation of this commemoration. Lest we forget.