Merchant Navy Day

Since 2000, Merchant Navy Day on 3rd September has honoured the brave men and women who kept our 'Island Nation' afloat during both World Wars, and celebrated our dependence on modern day merchant seafarers who are responsible for 95% of the UK's imports, including much of the food we eat, most of the fuel we burn and virtually all the products and goods we take for granted.

Merchant Navy Day 2025

Last year's MN Day was celebrated by Felixstowe Master Mariners Club with a commemorative service at London's Trinity Square Gardens, organised by the Merchant Navy Association UK. We were joined by Ipswich Merchant Navy Association and Woodbridge town council. The Gardens are directly adjacent to The Tower of London and Trinity House. To mark the event, a modest service of remembrance was held. The Parade of Veterans with standards entered the north end of the Gardens and paraded round to the sunken garden memorial with music provided by the Royal Navy Cadets Band. The Guest of Honour was 2nd Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Sir Martin Connell KCB CBE. The Patron of the Merchant Navy Association is The Right Hon. Admiral the Lord West of Spithead GCB DSC. The service was led by the Revd. Dr. John Barker, associate priest of the adjacent church, All Hallows by the Tower. The service was a mixture of prayers, hymns, readings, thanksgiving, tributes and the homage with the last post and a 2-minute silence followed by the laying of wreaths at the memorial wall. 

As the service is in the open air, we were very fortunate with warm weather and no rain. The general public are also welcomed to participate or observe as the gardens are a public space, looked after by the local council of Tower Hamlets. Letters of goodwill from HRH King Charles, The PM Sir Kier Starmer and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, were all read to the congregation. 

With 2025 being the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, the international seafarers who kept the UK afloat during WW2 by supplying food, fuel, arms and ammunition were duly remembered, along with their heroic sacrifice in the Battle of the Atlantic convoys against the U-boat wolf packs and many other sea battles. Felixstowe dock basin port and the men and women of HMS Beehive were not forgotten. 

Captain Timothy MacGuire - Secretary- Felixstowe Master Mariners Club