Our position in the march past

[Jim Neely]

Hello everyone,
This is my first posting, and I am doing it for an uncle who served in the Merchant Navy during the latter days of the 2nd World War and through the 1950s. Today he got himself all spruced up and turned up at our local Cenotaph to take part in the service and the march past. This was his first time and because of health reasons it may be his last. He arrived in plenty of time and as the parade formed up he asked where he should fall in. There were three or four other ex Merchant Seamen there, but no one knew where the Merchant Navy should form up. Who should they be in front of or behind? Do they in fact have a certain position in such a parade? All the armed services knew exactly where there position was. So too did the various cadets, boy scouts, girl guides etc., etc., But what about the Merchant Navy? In the end my uncle and the other old seamen joined the ranks of the British Legion. They enjoyed the parade but would have liked to march as a little Merchant Navy contingent. Surely there is set precedence along the line of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force etc., Any advice would be appreciated just in case he can make it next year.

Jim Neely

[Evan Lewis]

Jim,
So far as i know, traditionally, The Royal Navy (Senior Service) headed the parade, Usually a Navy or Royal Marine band at the Head..
Parades i've attended here in Oz,
In particular At Crib Point, ,'where H.M.A.S... Cerberus is situated. Entry point to most Recruits. :Not so many years ago, the majority of thier instructing Officers ,P.O's Leading hands were ex Royal Navy. Mrechant Navy personnel fell in, immediately behind them.

These days at the Anzac Day parade, that no longer seems to apply, ,though ,speaking re, the Brisbane parade ,the position of the navies varies ,in the line up. And the Merchant Navy ,and Vindicatrix Banners are prominently and proudly displayed.

[happy daze john in oz]

Jim,
So far as i know, traditionally, The Royal Navy (Senior Service) headed the parade, Usually a Navy or Royal Marine band at the Head..
Parades i've attended here in Oz,
In particular At Crib Point, ,'where H.M.A.S... Cerberus is situated. Entry point to most Recruits. :Not so many years ago, the majority of thier instructing Officers ,P.O's Leading hands were ex Royal Navy. Mrechant Navy personnel fell in, immediately behind them.

These days at the Anzac Day parade, that no longer seems to apply, ,though ,speaking re, the Brisbane parade ,the position of the navies varies ,in the line up. And the Merchant Navy ,and Vindicatrix Banners are prominently and proudly displayed.

Down here in Melbourne on Anzac day there is an M.N. group marching most years but it is never advertised. It is normaly in about the middle of the parade.

[alf corbyn]

in our former colonies ie OZ NZ Canada and others they show respect for the Merchant Navy..in the UK it seems that like the lord mayors show, we follow the dust carts.
i was up on plymouth hoe on saturday wearing my MN tee-shirt and a cap with a large MN embroidered badge. i got a few curious looks but that was it. i didn't see any other MN personel. alf

[Bill Cameron]

I attended the" Armed Forces weekend" as I am a member of the Royal Naval Association, I qualify to do this as I was a member of the Royal Naval Reserve for 27 years, I do wear my Merchant Naval Veterans badge along side my Forces Veterans badge, and I have pride in them both.
Edinburgh was the host city for Armed Forces Day this year and I marched proudly with my shipmates of the RNA down the Royal Mile,and as our right we took the lead of the Veterans being the representatives of the Senior Service, HRH the Duke of Rothsay took the salute, the reception of the crowds were fantastic, we were clapped and cheered from the Lawnmarket to Holyrood Park.
I never saw any representatives of the Merchant Navy at this show of national pride, and I would not have expected to either, as this was an event to show the serving Armed Forces of the UK some public support.

[Jim Neely]

Bill, I take your point regarding 'Armed Services Day', and the Merchant Navy is in fact a civilian occupation and perhaps should not have been represented in the march. This of course does not apply on Rememberance Day, or does it? Surely the MN have a right and a position in that march past. Who would they fall in behind on that day, bearing in mind there are representatives from the police, fire service, St. Johns Ambulance, Bevan Boys etc., etc., I don't suppose the MN qualify as part of the Royal Navy veterans or associations.

Jim

[Dennis McGuckin]

Watched the rememberance day parade on TV last year.
The MN laied the wreath right behind the Salvation Army!!
Den.

[DeepSea]

I never saw any representatives of the Merchant Navy at this show of national pride, and I would not have expected to either, as this was an event to show the serving Armed Forces of the UK some public support.

Arned Forces Day was previously known as Veterans Day, until some bright spark chose to change the name and exclude the MN.

People also seem to forget all the RFA ships now serving in conflict alongside their RN counterparts are manned by Merchant Navy crew, so why should the MN be excluded from any such parade. This is the same mentality shown to those MN veterans from WWII, who we are still trying to raise awarness for even today

[alf corbyn]

with a litte thought you will remember that during tWW11 the merchant ships were armed with old WW 1 guns and they also had armed merchant cruisers (remember the Jervis Bay). does this then qualify the then merchant service as armed veterans?. alf

[Lou Barron]

it really does not matter where we parade as long we have the RED DUSTER flying as i said in one of my posts when we arrived in the landing stage in liverpool on the ss monawai us mn guys was the last of the ship but got the biggest cheer from the very big crowd
d