60th Anniversary

[Lou Barron]

Just come across a programme of the 60th Anniversary of The Battle of the Atlantic the service to be held in the Queens Gardens Dunedin and tree planting .A Pohutukawa Treeto be planted by Lou Barron and a Plaque laid to the Honour the Merchant Seamen who took part in the battle . I have since been down to the place and the tree is growing very well

[Lou Barron]

I am sorry but i forgot the date when this was held it was the Saturday 3rd may 2003

[Keith at Tregenna]

Is this on the net ?

HAVE YOU A LINK /

K.

[Lou Barron]

Hi Keith no i do not think it is on the net

[Keith at Tregenna]

Possibly some element of a report will be on the net / SOMWHERE ?
K.

[Lou Barron]

Keith i am sorry i must have misled you the programme that i found was printed locally

[Peter Trodden]

Hi Lou,
I have in front of me,the Programme for the 50th Anniversary (May.1943---May 1993) that was held on Merseyside. The reason for those dates are given in the Foreword of the Souvenir Brochure by the First Sea Lord. Sir Benjamin Bathurst. He says the Battle started with the sinking of the Athenia on 3 Sept,1939 and lasted untill the last day of the war,but HE says" the climax of this marathon struggle came at the end of May 1943 and I feel that it is entirely appropriate that we should commemorate the Battle of the Atlantic 50 years on from that date" We all know it was the longest continuous campaign of WW11 and my question is,what date for the Anniversary should it be,the First or last day of that campaign.
So Lou,they seem to have altered the dates in the Kiwiland programme aswell, what are your views on the above. (please all join in)
ttfn.Peter.

[Lou Barron]

Well asone ex Birkenhead guy to another the dates i would think would be the end of the war in Europebut that is only my guess i was going by the date on the programme

[Peter Trodden]

Hi Lou,
I knew a family in Birkenhead called Barron, The father was Ted,and a Steel Erecter who worked for many years in Ellesmere Port during the expansion of the refineries there.
His son, also Ted but was always called Badger Barron,he worked Offshore as a Rigger,and sad to say,while working down in West Africa was involved in an accident and died from his injuries. Not a common name Lou (unless your in the Peerage) there is only two in our local phone book.
ttfn. Peter.

[Frederick Lacey]

Hi Charlie, was interested in your memorials Queens Gardens etc. Went onto the Dunedin City Council Site, one
which gave info of Memorials etc, including the Cenotaph, Tree Memorials etc, couldn't find any mention of 2003,
but it gave this info, are you aware ?

Memorials continue to be erected.

A plaque dedicated to the Merchant Navy seamen who died in World War 2

was unveiled in Port Chalmers as recently as 1993.

Put up by their shipmates.

Regards Fred.