Flag day honour in salute to sailors
Red Ensign flown to make Merchant Navy
Stirling Council honoured Merchant Navy Day on Monday by flying the Red Ensign outside its Viewforth HQ.
Provost Christine Simpson conducted a special flag raising ceremony attended by councillors and senior officials.
Viewforth was one of hundreds of civic buildings and landmark flag-poles across the UK to pay tribute to Britain’s brave seamen and seawomen by flying the official UK Merchant Navy flag.
Provost Simpson said: “It is important we fly the flag for Merchant Navy Day to honour and commemorate the seafarers who faced the perils of both World Wars and played such a vital role in helping us emerge victorious from those conflicts.
“September 3, 1939 marked the outbreak of World War II and that very same day the Glasgowbuilt merchant vessel SS Athenia went down, with the loss of 128 lives.
“It was the first of hundreds of merchant ships and thousands of crew who tragically met the same fate in the following war years.
“These courageous seafarers put their lives on the line to keep our island nations supplied with food and ammunition and without their sacrifice, victory would have been impossible.
“Merchant Navy ships continue to this day to face the routine dangers of the seas so Stirling Council is proud to support this event by flying the Red Ensign flag for the rest of the week.”Council Leader Scott Farmer said: “My grandfather was a captain on the Atlantic convoy runs and my wife’s father was on the Russian convoys so I am glad that Stirling Council has marked Merchant
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Navy Day. Although we are in essence landlocked, there are a lot of families in the Stirling Council area that have a rich history and connection with maritime matters, so it is important that we marked this occasion.” Ex Royal Naval officer and lecturer at Glasgow’s Maritime College, Councillor Bryan Flanagan, said: “I am extremely pleased Stirling Council has flown the Red Ensign again, as a mark of respect to not only those who serve in the Merchant Navy, but also the many brave men and women who have died whilst transporting the world’s goods around the globe.
“I am a seafarer as well as a lecturer who now helps teach the next generation of mariners and can say with confidence that there is no career more exciting and varied. “It can also be a dangerous job. “Anyone who chooses to be a professional mariner is someone we should celebrate. This act of remembrance does just that.
“I hope Stirling Council maintains this tradition for many years to come.”
Merchant Navy Day was launched in 2000 to celebrate the people who are responsible for transporting 95 per cent of the UK’s imports, including half the food we eat.
The fly-the-flag scheme is backed by charity Seafarers UK, whose president is Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.