Merchant Mariners' Day

The Minister for Veteran Affairs Alan Griffin, during a visit to Port Adelaide

It started as a one-man band, but Ron Wylie, son of a former merchant mariner, soon got a choir of Australians of all political persuasions singing the same tune -the Australian Government should proclaim September 3 International Merchant Navy Day - a Day of Remembrance.

Even by a conservative estimate, 885 Australian merchant mariners are recognised to have died in WWII alone. The Russian Government recently awarded Arctic Medals to 250 Australian war veterans for their part in confronting sub zero temperatures and snow blizzards, German submarine wolfpacks and land based bomber planes to supply Russian troops during the war.

Yet, until this year, Australia has not formally honoured the bravery of seafarers during wartime.

"Over three years we gathered many letters of support," said Ron. "In January 2007 we presented a dossier of letters from politicians and various associations and organisations. This also included support letters from the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States - all recognising the courage and sacrifice of Australia's merchant seamen in WWII and other conflicts."

Ron Wylie served in the army from 1970-72, his father in the Merchant Navy in WWII and his grandfather in the NSW Light Horse brigade in WWI. He already has the support of the RSL's NSW Merchant Navy Sub Branch and Victorian Merchant Navy Sub Branch, Merchant Navy Associations, The Australian Merchant Navy Awards Council, Merchant Navy War Service League, the Allied Merchant Seamen's Association, WA, and the Merchant Navy Association of Tasmania and SA. Support also has come from the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, Company of Master Mariners Inc Australia, Norwegian War Veterans Association of Australia and an additional 1738 signatures from the wider community in addition to over 5000 acknowledgements of support form associations and individuals.

In Ron's quest to overcome the final hurdle he wrote to the MUA calling on members to help with the thousands of petitions needed.

But the Howard Government rejected these and it was not until the election of a Labor Government that seafarers who served in war were honoured.

On June 24 Governor General Michael Jeffery proclaimed September 3, Merchant Mariners' Day.

The Minister for Veteran Affairs Alan Griffin, during a visit to Port Adelaide, unveiled a four metres by two metres Merchant Navy Day banner on the Lighthouse in Black Diamond Square, in the presence of a group of Merchant Navy veterans, Deputy Premier Kevin Foley and local MP Mark Butler.

"The role of Australia's merchant mariners was vital and often dangerous," Mr Griffin said. "During the Second World War they evacuated civilians from threatened areas, and transported supplies and personnel to and between areas of conflict."

The MUA's SA Branch in conjunction with MUA veterans and the Merchant Navy Association, are planning a march and commemorative service to mark Australia's first National Merchant Navy Day.

A memorial is being planned for the Port Adelaide waterfront to commemorate the contribution of the Merchant Navy.

Details of other commemorative ceremonies will be published on the Department of Veterans' Affairs website www.dva.gov.au?

Meanwhile Ron Wylie has launched the new Mercantile Marine Pedia website providing information for Merchant Navy war veterans and their families. Go to: http://sites.google.com/a/mercantilemarine.org/mercantile-marine/Home

Ron's other websites dedicated to the Australian Merchant Navy are:

http://www.merchant-navy-ships.com