Watching out for Pirates!

My Grandad was a great storyteller with a wicked sense of humour! He was a merchant seaman for many years and he loved entertaining all his grandchildren with tales of ghost ships and pirates! He once told me that on some journeys the crew were told to keep one eye open when they were sleeping in case they were attacked by pirates!

I think I was about eight when he told me this story and I tried and tried but I never managed to go to sleep with one eye open! :-)

Grandad Karlsson 1912-1975

30,000 merchant seamen were killed aboard convoy vessels during the WW2, but along with the Royal Navy, the convoys successfully imported enough supplies to allow an Allied victory.In honour of the sacrifices made during the two World Wars, the Merchant Navy lays wreaths of remembrance alongside the armed forces during the annual Remembrance Day service on 11 November. Following many years of lobbying to bring about official recognition of the sacrifices made by merchant seaman in two world wars and since, Merchant Navy Day became an official day of remembrance on 3 September 2000.