War Achievements Of Merchant Navy Await Recognition

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1942, Page 4

War Achievements Of Merchant Navy Await Recognition

Wellington, Aug. 24. The statement that when the story of the wartime achievements of the Merchant Navy came to be written it would a'stound the world was made by Commodore Sir Atwill Lake, R.N.. at the annual dinner of the New Zealand Company of Master Mariners at Wellington, when the highest tributes were paid to the great work being done by the Merchant Navy. Proposing r.ne -oosr of ffie Vlerrtiant Navy, His Excellency the GovernorGeneral, Sn (Jyril Newall saia tnai it was an honour to be able to pay tiomage to the gallantry and devotion shown by the men of the Merchant Navy at all i times. The debt owed them by every man, woman and child could not be repaid, and he could only acknowledae it in what he feared were very inadequate terms. It was impossible for people who lived on land in safety to visualise the sustained courage and devotion to duty which the seaman's life demanded. He doubted if some. or many. endeavoured to give the matter a thn"ehf In peacetime, continued His Excellency, there was always a marine risk; in wartime this was added to by surface raiders, mines and submarines. His own service worked in close association with the Merchant Navy. and was full of admiration for it. Dangers were faced every hour, by day and b.v night, every week and every month of the year, silently without self-advertisement, and, he thought. without adequate recognition. If they were unable sufficiently to reward the men of the Merchant Navy for their work, they should at least bear in mtnd what they did. No article which was imported must be wasted, imports must not be expected on a peacetime scale, and there should be no gnimbling.

Savmgs Possible. ' It had been estimated that lf every person in England to-day were to save half ,a slice of bread daily, the shippine space released would be equal to steei for 10.000 tanks of 25 tons each; that lf all were to save daily half a pound of some imported article. it would mean that 5500 Merchant Navy men would have to make six fewer vovages each vear. The ocean haul from England to Egypt. via the Cape, was about equal tx» fhat from Eneland to New Zealand Shipping was very scarce, said His Excellency. and any thing saved was worth its weight in gold. It meant saving the lives of merchant seamen. naval men and alrmen, some of which were expended on carrying across the seas things which were not neeessary to help win the war. The news that a convoy had reached its destination was greeted with cheers, but how often did people think of the sacrifices in lives or what ships were lost in «nsb'1ne that ronvnv to reach its voal? It behoved all to think of these things at present. The willing self-sacriflce. unadyertised and inadequately rewarded, of the Merchant Navy was beyond praise. They went on doing their duty and never failed. After being torpedoed and mined they went back to the sea. One of the things which helped us to look forward to flnal victory was the courage and devotion of the Merchant Navy. They had won their place among the greatest heroes, and at the end of the war he hoped that they would be adequately rewarded. Same Team.

Commodore Sir Atwill Lake, U.N., in i .plying to the toast of the Royal Navy, said that they and the Merchant Navy were both members of the same team, and enjoved the brotherhood of the seas. Though the work of the Navy might be more spectacular, he said, ultimate victory would never be attained Vut for the wonderful work of • the Merchant Navy, hazardous and calling for great endurance. in maintaining supplies. That was not always realised by the onlookers. He was glad to be able Rdd to what had been said by His Excellency, and said that he felt the work of the Merchant Navy should be much better known. They were sailing the seven seas. always open to attaek by hostile ships or planes. Escort vessels had the thrill of the hunt and the kill, but the merchsnt vessels had to steam slowly on — and they did it. When the story of the Merchant Navy came to be written it would astound the world. It hurt the Navy to feel that the work of their brothers in the Merchant Navy was insufficiently known and that not enough credit was given them, without whom the war would be lost. Adding his tribute to the Merchant Navy, Captain Olding, U.S. naval attache said he felt that his country had made a mistake in not being as close to its merchant marine as Britain was, but that was now being overcome.