London Cenotaph 2023 onwards

[john mc dermott]

Hi Ivan, my representation is just being there like many others as a spectator on the day .Like many others i have no desire to march or join said groups. I get a lot of personal pride watching the parade and the laying of wreaths .As for likes and dislikes i have no idea what you mean .I hope this resolves any issues you may have with my way of attending the Cenotaph to represent the Merchant Navy.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hi Ivan, my representation is just being there like many others as a spectator on the day .Like many others i have no desire to march or join said groups. I get a lot of personal pride watching the parade and the laying of wreaths .As for likes and dislikes i have no idea what you mean .I hope this resolves any issues you may have with my way of attending the Cenotaph to represent the Merchant Navy.

Jon I wasn't at all casting aspersions on your attendance or non marching etc etc, each remembers in their own way and that is sufficient and all one can ask for., I have no issues with you one way or another. The reason for my #1 or subsequent posts was to try and get some members to join the march so that we are not eradicated altogether as our numbers are declining each year due to mother nature reclaiming us. You don't have to join groups or little cliches, I don't. I march because I think those that have passed deserve to be remembered and kept in the public eye, if we have no MN contingent in the parade then they will in all probability be forgotten. Lets face it probably 99% of the population don't know what a merchant navy is or its function as they blissfully go about their daily lives. If I'm pizzing in the wind with my efforts and attendance, so be it, but as long as my legs keep working I'll keep pizzing into the wind.

[Mo Docherty]

The extaltation of war.

[Ivan Cloherty]

The extaltation of war.

No it's remembering those who died so that you have the freedom to make inane remarks

[Marian Gray]

But why would you want the words on a bench, jus askin!

Ivan, Obviously I stand to be corrected by Ernie if he so wishes....Perhaps Ernie wants to commemorate those who served and died in the Armed Forces or a late family member who has no grave.......I for one commend him for that. Or perhaps like me Ernie lost a loved one during covid with no funeral as such, nor family and friends allowed to attend..... Having the courtesy to ask Billy about copyright IMHO tells me all I need to know.

[john mc dermott]

Ivan, your efforts and your colleagues are very much appreciated by all that attend, and by those can not attend .The Cenotaph is the Nations Merchant Navy Memorial ,and like its neighbour the Tower will be there long after we are gone.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Ivan, your efforts and your colleagues are very much appreciated by all that attend, and by those can not attend .The Cenotaph is the Nations Merchant Navy Memorial ,and like its neighbour the Tower will be there long after we are gone.

John I am glad that you mentioned the MN Memorial, that it will always there, as you joined this year you may or may not be aware of events that happened in 2011, or were intended to happen at the MN Memorial and in its gardens which would have been a matter of profound disrespect to all those who served as well as died. This disrespect aided and abetted by its guardians (Trinity House), so this is why we have to be on our own guard and keep our name to the forefront.

During 2011 the City Bankers decided that they would hold their Christmas parties in the MN Memorial gardens from 22nd Nov to 17th December 2011. These parties would include alcohol and discos etc from 1100 hrs until early hours the following morning. I among others became aware of this (in early Sept) intended disrespect to our service and contacted Trinity House (TH) they denied all knowledge of it, which upon digging relentlessly was not factual, indeed TH, Tower Hamlets and the Event organisers had been in touch with each other since June 2011, this information being obtained from the Event organisers, who perhaps unwittingly revealed this info.

Anyway after prolonged discussions with Trinity House and the Mayor of Tower Hamlets Mr Lutfor Rahman, who initially also denied all knowledge of such parties, however I did remind him that among the 35,000 names on the memorial there were innumerable Lascars/Sudanese etc etc and there was a change of attitude, after more exchanges he withdrew Tower Hamlets permission to hold the parties, I had also contacted, The Evening Standard, Daily Mail, Daily Express as well as others, I had exchanges of correspondence with Trinity House, Tower Hamlets, Mervyn King Bank of England, the RMT, Rt Hon John Prescott (of course it became his personal protest!) HRH Prince of Wales, M O D, Theresa May, Minister for Veterans etc. Anyway as a result of much writing and phone calls from myself and others who later the circling wagons, together with a telephone call with Rear Admiral Sir Jeremy de Halpert KCVO CB FRINand Chairman of Trinity House with great support from Brian Probetts and our members our efforts bore fruit and the events were cancelled. All correspondence is safely on file in the event that some of those mentioned and are in denial have a lapse of memory

So if we do not continue to march make our presence known and felt, no doubt they will try and ride roughshod over our dead comrades and our feelings once again at some time in the future, that is why I march, not for me, but for our service

[Fouro]

The Red Ensign has been flown on the Cenotaph in Whitehall since the day it was built in 1919, but members of the Merchant Navy were excluded from Remembrance ceremonies including the march-past the Cenotaph for many years.

Fouro.

[john mc dermott]

Sorry Ivan, reply 16 should read Tower Hill Site and i do not know how to edit yet on this site.

[john mc dermott]

Ivan just read your post 17, very interesting and as you can see i have now learned to edit on post 19.