03/09/2021
Ordinary men into ordinary Heroes: Remembering the Merchant Navy
On the 3rd of September 1939 a German U boat torpedoed the Trans-Atlantic passenger liner SS Athenia off the coast of Ireland causing the loss of 128 lives. The Athenias place as the first British merchant ship lost in the Second World War acts as a remembrance marker for the sacrifices made by merchant seafarers. The 3rd of September is recognised officially in New Zealand as ‘Merchant Navy Day.’ On this day in towns around the country seafarers past and present along with their families honour members of what The Rt Hon Sir Gerry Mataparae described in 2015 as the Fourth Service ‘Today, we acknowledge New Zealand’s ‘fourth service’, the Merchant Navy. Let us never forget its contribution, the courage of its brave sailors, and their sacrifice.’ The respect and remembrance at Merchant navy day services are equal to that of any Anzac Day service. Few seafarers remain who served in past wars but subsequent generations many now suffering from the ravages of a life at sea clamber to honour their own. Seafarers worked in civilian occupation delivering much needed supplies, people and equipment with ships not armed or designed for combat, at the mercy of enemy aircraft, ships and U-boats determined to starve their enemy into submission. New Zealand Seafarers did not ask or sign up to be in the frontline but served with honour. Today members of the seafaring community hold a real fear that the New Zealand Merchant Navy’s wartime legacy will be forgotten. Since 2010 Merchant Navy Day has been a great addition to our memorial calendar but the day needs a higher profile. Often described as the ‘fourth service’ the remembrance of the merchant navy should reflect that and lift their recognition to a level equal to that of the other services.
In peacetime the merchant navy is responsible for moving goods people and property around the world by sea. Characterised by privately owned cargo ships, tankers, and other types of vessels. When war comes the merchant navy’s role to keep supply lines open becomes more important, but under heightened and dangerous circumstances with the loss of life becoming a daily reality for seafarers. There are many that say without the merchant navy’s ability to keep the supply lines open the allies would have lost the Second World War, this is reflected in the comments of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill speaking in 1941.
“In order to win this war Hi**er must either conquer this Island by Invasion or, he must cut the Ocean lifeline which joins us to the United States”
At the beginning of the Second World War all New Zealand merchant shipping was placed under the command of the British Admiralty. Several New Zealand ships were requisitioned for the war effort and as part of the British merchant fleet carried out important supply and delivery tasks. The Union Steam Ship Company passenger liners R.M.S Aorangi (II) and Awatea became a troop ship. The Awatea was part of the invasion convoy to North Africa where enemy attacks ended the service of near Algeria in 1942. Seafarers contributed to the Allied victory by working on New Zealand and oversea ships in the pivotal theaters of the sea war, the Atlantic and the Arctic. The campaign for control of the Atlantic Sea lanes was one of the epic struggles of The Second World War. Germany’s goal was to starve Britain out of the war by disrupting its shipping routes and by 1940 Allied merchant ships were under increased level of attacks. A crewman of the SS Rotorua described his experiences when the ship was torpedoed near the Outer Hebrides. “The U boat surfaced, a great green ugly brute, then it disappeared.” 140 New Zealand seaman lost their lives and are included amongst the 32,000 seafarers from the British and Commonwealth merchant fleet killed in action, 5000 listed as missing, as well as 4633 taken prisoner. The Merchant Navy experienced a casualty rate notably higher than the Army, Navy and Air Force. Merchant seafarers encountered dangers over and above what they signed up for turning an ordinary man into an ordinary hero.
Considering the importance of the seafarer in times of war it is surprising they suffer from a lack of recognition for their efforts. The Merchant Navy is one of the most lionised of the wartime services with colloquial praise often heaped on them in literature and movies, but official recognition has been hard to come by. Even during the Second World War seafarers suffered because of their anonymity. When seafarers were ashore between ships, sometimes having just been torpedoed or having spent days at sea waiting to be rescued they were often harassed for not doing their bit, seafarers didn’t wear a uniform. The introduction of small Merchant Navy badges went some way to indicating the wearer was taking an active part in the war effort. For merchant seaman the poor treatment continued, after the war and although seafarers have high praise for the role of the Returned Services Association many believed they were not accepted by the RSA as veterans and shown respect for their war service. Seafarers could not join as service or returned members and for that reason some said they just didn’t go. Even Merchant navy Day took its time to be established 65 years after the end of the war and only after continued lobbying from private individuals, not shipping companies or Governments. Civilian occupations seconded for war service have always suffered in the recognition stakes compared to military services. the young men recruited in Britain known as ‘Bevin Boys,’ to work down the mines and the Pacific Island Radio Operators recruited for New Zealand’s war effort are two further examples of civilians recruited because of the war but with little recognition of their servicer. The merchant navy is one of the few civilian occupations that experienced action at the front lines. I would argue their efforts and sacrifices are more relevant because they were civilians
It is time to rectify the inadequate knowledge of the public. The importance of shipping to New Zealand is no less important today than it has been in the past. The majority of New Zealand’s trade is still carried by merchant vessels. It is interesting to note that recent events such as the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes, and the current Covid Crisis has raised the discussion of coastal shipping. It seems only in times of crisis does the profile of the merchant navy enter public consciousness. The merchant navy will always step up and we must do the same to remember their legacy. Unfortunately, this year we cannot physically go to merchant navy day services We are lucky that the National Maritime Museum conducted a live virtual service and have recorded it.
Please remember merchant navy day on the 3rd of September every year
September 3 is NZ Merchant Navy Day, in remembrance of the vital wartime role of the Merchant Navy.
