Top honour for Merchant Navy Association

SWANSEA'S Merchant Navy Association is set to be awarded the Freedom of the city

Full Council on July 22 is awarding the Swansea branch of the association the city's highest honour as a mark of respect for the sacrifices made by merchant seamen during World War II and in other conflicts.

Wendy Lewis, the council's Armed Forces Champion, said the honour would be richly-deserved and would help commemorate the role of the Merchant Navy in a maritime community.

Cllr Lewis said: "The Merchant Navy Association in Swansea was founded in 1998, initially to raise funds for a permanent memorial to those locally who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II.

"The memorial located in SA1 is a special place of pilgrimage for the families of those who gave their lives. It's only right that more than 75 years after the end of World War II that the local branch of the MNA be given the honour."

Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council said: "Full Council agreed to award Swansea's highest civic honour to the Merchant Navy Association last year. So it's great that after the pandemic we'll now be able to invite its members to the Council Chamber to receive the award.

"It's perhaps easy to forget that 90% of the UK's imports, including half the food we eat, arrives by sea. We owe British seafarers a debt of gratitude for their contribution in times of conflict and in times of peace."  

Lord Mayor, Cllr Mike Day said: "The Merchant Navy Association continues to make a valuable contribution to the life of our city and, now that it's safe to do so, I am looking forward to chairing thisceremonial meeting of the council to recognise its work.

"Like others in the Council, we have relatives who have served and are serving in the Merchant Navy, making this a very personal event as well as an honour bestowed by the whole city."

Among those to have received the Freedom of the City in the past have been HMS Scott, HMS Scott, 1^st The Queen's Dragoon Guards and 157 (Welsh) Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC). Rugby legend Alun Wyn Jones and Oscar-winning actress Catherine Zeta Jones have also received the award.

Inevitably, Swansea has had a centuries-old relationship with the sea and during World War II it was the merchant navy - running the gauntlet of U-boat in the Battle of the Atlantic - that helped Britain survive.

Among those commemorated at the Merchant Navy Association Memorial in SA1 are the crews of the Ocean Crusader (HX216) and Empire Wagtail (ONS154). The Empire Wagtail was hit three days after Christmas in 1942 in the Atlantic Ocean with the loss of its entire crew of 44, including many from Swansea and South Wales.

The Ocean Crusader was sunk a month earlier off the coast of Newfoundland, having lost touch with its convoy in heavy seas and dense fog. Its master was from Llangrannog in Carmarthenshire and much of the crew from Swansea and South Wales. None survived. It was on its maiden voyage as a Merchant Navy vessel.

The ceremonial event is due to take place on Friday, July 22 at 2pm. Members of the public are welcome to watch the event online here: https://democracy.swansea.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=177&MId=10908&LLL=0