The Battle of the Atlantic: Remembered

weekend has been hosting an impressive array of the world's

naval vessels. It was during the Second World War that Liverpool was

home to Western Approaches headquarters, from where the allied

convoys were directed as they acrossed the Atlantic. It was from

here that thousands Set Sail, risking their lives to bring vital

supplies to a Britain at risk of starvation, supplies like food, but

also fuel, raw materials and ammunition. This weekend the city

has been buzzing with some reliving the past and others hearing about it

for the first time. Ships have been arriving from the Merchant Navy,

Royal Navy, Canadian, Russian and German knavies, all eeger to play

their part in -- navies, all eeger to play their part. This morning we

remember those sailors who played their part in the longer, and

arguably the most crucial battle of the Second World War.

Good morning from Liverpool Cathedral where the first of 2,000

invited guests have taken their places for today's service to

commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. We're

sharting to be joined by the Princess Royal and Sir Timothy

Laurence. The focus for today is about remembering the tens of

thousands of sailors from the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy who never

made it back. At the outbreak of war, both Hitler and Churchill

realised that Britain as an island nation had an Achilles heel. It was

dependent for its survival on the trade routes from across the

Atlantic. If supplies were interrupted, particularly from the

USA and Canada, Britain's war effort would collapse. Hitler sent his

forces to stop that trade coming in. The result was the Battle of the

Atlantic. Churchill's Britain's wartime leader

wrote that during the war the one thing that ever frightened him was

the U-boat peril. There was always that worry there that a U-boat could

be stalking. You always slipped your lifejacket on, always. If you didn't

that was your fault. The Battle of the Atlantic wasn't even a campaign,

it was a series of campaigns conducted over six long, hard years

and it was essential to the winning of the war. I was 14 years old when

I joined the merchant they'vy. My first ship, I was a cabin boy. The

old sailors used to come in the Gooly in the night-time and say, "

Oh, another one gone down." Every night, I tell you what, it was

frightening. It was really frightening. But what can you do?

There's no back doors to the sea, is there? When the war broke out, the

only chance of a job being a rather big lad was to get a job as a

fireman, a ship's fireman. Every time you signed on you knew darn

well that the chances of you coming back was practically none. But

without the Merchant Navy, the country could never have survived.

The predominant threat was from submarines. But there were other

things as well, such as surface raid oars and, to some extent, aircraft.

One has to look at the struggle as a whole, not just individual bits.

When we were attacked, there were no warnings at all. Bullets were come

being -- coming and I was not being hit. I was aware where the explosion

took place and it blew me up in the air. I said to myself, blimey, can

you breathe. Then back onto the ship and everybody else was dead. When we

were in the Gooly, we knew the torpedo -- Gooly we knew because the

torpedo hit. It was a thump. She had two torpedoes into her but she never

sunk for about an hour. There must have been four or five packs of

U-boats around us, it's no wonder they bumped all those ships off. We

had no chance. What chance did we have? Churchill said sink the

Bismark. He knew, like we knew, that if that ship had got free and joined

up with the submarines waiting for it, nothing would have got across

that Atlantic. They would have starved this nation into submission.

15 of us set off to try and get rid of that ship. We hadn't gone more

than ten minutes in that direction, when all of a sudden, all hell let

loose. I was petrified. I was. I decided that it was time I got rid

of this torpedo. Off it went. I got a message, in the year 2000, that

maintained it was my torpedo that struck the stern of this big ship.

Eventually, of course, it was sunk by another ship. That was a sight

that's haunted me ever since. All those hundreds of sailors in the sea

and no hope. No hope at all. They were sailors, and so were we.

Jock Moffatt finishing us off there, a true national treasure. Remarkably

today is the 72nd anniversary of that raid he talks about, dropping

the torpedo that apparently hit the business mark in the rudder.

Extraordinary. -- Bismark in the rudder.

Extraordinary. I'm joined now by Jock Gardner, historian at the naval

historical branch. The Battle of the Atlantic is remembered rightly as a

royal naval but also Merchant Navy commemoration. Why is it important

to remember them both equally? right, we should remember them both.

Merchant ships and their men carried the cargo across. They faced a

similar peril. Absolutely. The sea is no respecter of the cap badge. It

is rough out there. It's difficult enough to live out there without any

intervention on behalf of an enemy. Of course, many of the merchant

seamen caught themselves up in the warfare they hadn't signed up for

necessarily. Absolutely. It was something they would not expect to

find in normal times and they were involved in the thick of things.

Even when the enemy was not doing its worst, it was hard work being

out there and living in constant fear of what might happen. It's

2013, we know the Battle of the Atlantic went on for all the years

of war, why remember it now? 1943 is always particularly

remembered by Liverpool particularly because it was in May 1943 that two

things came together: One was that the Germans had been putting more

and more effort into less and less result, going back over several

months, but the other thing that happened was that the Germans lost

over 40 submarines in that month of May and this marked a strategic gear

change. Although it continued and went on for a long time, there were

peaks and troughs of the violence, there was never an easy time

crossing the Atlantic. Right the way through that six years, it would

have been very tough for everyone involved. It was. It was hard work.

The weather was a constant concern. Not just rough seas but things such

as fog in what was large largely a pre-radar earament trying to keep a

convoy together under those circumstances was difficult. You're

not under attack from U-boats or aircraft, there's always the threat

of it. Absolutely. You never know when it's going to come and this is

a constant fear factor working on everybody, no matter what their cap

banks. For the many people that you've met that are involved how

important is it to commemorate it today? It's extremely important

particularly as 70 years on, the people who actually took part in it,

many have already gone after 1945, there are not many left to remember

it. It is a particularly important that this should be done to pass it

on to further generations. Very much. Not surprisingly, strong bonds

of friendship were formed on board ships during the war by the sailors.

Even from ship to ship, in fact. We've been finding out from two men

that bond can last a lifetime. The Wellington is the last surviving

Second World War escort ship in Britain. She is now a floating

museum and headquarters to the company of master mariners. There's

only one man still alive who served on her during the Battle of the

Atlantic. It was about January '44 when I joined the Wellington. It was

anness tort for -- an Escort for patrolling, dropping depth chargers

all the time. Peter gives his lifelong friend Kenneth a tour of

his ship. He also served in the Royal Navy on convoys during the

war. There was a gun here. I was always on this side. Oh, yes, yes.

Got them here, like. Why were they called hedgehogs? Because they all

had spiked bomb, 24 of them. They all fired off, boom, boom, boom.

Where the bridge is there, about a distance from here, where they would

land. , yeah. Did you ever sink a U-boat? Yes.You did? Yes.Blimey.

1945 we fired them off and they all blew up underneath us. We all

cheered, then we carried on. About a quarter of an hour after, that came

up the stern of us. It had no tail on it. It blue the tail right off

Every time we went out to sea we were at action stations. My first

you got a rat running down. When I was in the hammock, it's the best

sleep I've ever had in my life. Yeah. I was mostly on look out. We

had to call the crow's nest. When it was rolling, like, you used to be

rolling around the mast. When you first started a little bit

nervewracking. To give you an idea, that building

there, about four storeys up, that red building there, that's the

height of some of them wavescould could be. Know it was!When we were

in the hurricane that time it ripped one of the anchors off. Right.You'd

never credit it. The sea was so strong, it could do things like

that. If we had a quiet time we dropped a depth charge. The fish

come up to the top. I never had that experience. Fish and chips. It saved

the catering a few bob. That's why the catering a few bob. That's why

they done it! What a marvellous ship it is. When we paid off in 1945, I

never believed I would see it again, never. No, no. You wouldn't.

Unbelievable. It is true, unfortunately, there was a lot of

lives lost. We always think of them. Right. We are both so lucky that

we're here to tell the tale today. think we'd better go and have a to

think we'd better go and have a to the of rum! -- tot of rum!

remarkable portrait of wartime friendship enduring. We've been

joined now by Lieutenant John-Paul Fitzgibbon, a navigator on HMS Ball

washing here in Liverpool for the -- bulwark here in Liverpool for the

weekend. It's interesting because times have changed now. We don't

have hammocks on Royal Navy ships. However, you know a lot of our ships

still have 40-man messes and have you a lot of people living in close

proximity. The only privacy is behind one curtain. Also, a lot of

modern technology, times have changed and expectations have

changed. We have had to provide modern technology. Some of that

stuff you do recognise. Absolutely. The camaraderie and the link between

them is very similar today. About the jobs that the navy does? In many

ways it is similar. Yes, it's never really changed and the same with the

Merchant Navy. We talk about how pivotal that the Battle of the

Atlantic was. Over 95% by weight of all British trade still goes by sea.

We need to protect that. The convoy system you've seen in the Battle of

the Atlantic is still used to to protect the legitimate users of the

sea. You studied in Liverpool, is it fun coming back? It's fantastic. I

graduated in this building so very good to come back. Weather has a

strong link to the sea and the navy. Yes, it is. It's always been a

popular place for them to come. My experience comes back to the 1970s.

Did you still enjoy time ashore? do, and we did last night. You were

actually in the Merchant Navy as well before the navy. I trained with

them, yes. I did a degree in navigation. And worked with a

company setting up jobs in the Merchant Navy. I understand the

conditions they are working in as well, which is very similar to

ourselves. It's good to hear there's still close links to the Merchant

Navy and Royal Navy. We hear that Her Royal Highness the Princess

Royal is arriving now. The car is Royal is arriving now. The car is

Royal is arriving now. The car is Royal is arriving now. The car is

pulling up there. She will be greeted by the Dean of the

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cathedral, and the ceremony can the Dean, and there is the Bishop of

Liverpool. James Jones, though. -- James Jones, there. We should say,

this cathedral is extraordinary. It is the fifth biggest in the world.

It was only completed in 1978, partly because it suffered damage

during wartime. Liverpool suffered quite heavy bombardment during the

Blitz. Liverpool did suffer a great deal. Its principal job was the

reception of cargoes and the fact it managed to do it says an awful lot

about the resilience of the people of Liverpool. The cathedral was on

in September 1940, and May 1941. -- was bombed. Liverpool was the most

bombed place outside London in the whole of the UK. 4000 people on

docks, where you are happiest. There is an incredible atmosphere down

there. I went there yesterday afternoon and there was a tremendous

is to the place. People who were interested, people from all over the

country, there were all of the warships, the memorial ships. I was

amazed, perplexed to the amount of attention that people were paying to

those. It clearly had an effect upon them. Her Royal Highness, now

meeting members of the clergy. The Dean, introducing her. There are

also a number of important military remembered here in Liverpool this

weekend, but it was a truly international struggle. There have

been events in London, Derry Londonderry. It was decided for this

important church service, Liverpool would be the place to do it. Why

would that be? How important was Liverpool? Liverpool, in many ways,

was the central place of it. It was not the main port before the war,

but it became so during the war, because of the effective closing of

the channel by German air power in France. It's therefore became the

place that was not only the main reception port into the United

Kingdom, it was a naval base as well. For that reason, Liverpool is

central to the Battle of the Atlantic. Her Royal Highness is

meeting the first Sea Lord, and now the second Sea Lord. The first Sea

Lord is in charge of the maybe -- the Navy. The second Sea Lord is in

charge of shore establishments. main responsibility is for

personnel, because the Navy needs the goodwill of its people. Looking

after them as efficiently and safely as possible is very much his

with the Navy, she is the chief commandant for women, she is a keen

sailor. She is among friends here, not just with the naval personnel

but the people from Trinity house, which is Britain's biggest naval

charity for the she will be meeting representatives from Trinity house

Army officer in north-west England. Brigadier Fitzgerald. All of the

services are represented. Now, air Marshal Bagwell there, deputy

commander of operations. The RAF's senior war fighter. The RAF played a

huge part in the Battle of the Atlantic, it shouldn't be

forgotten. You have to admit they were quite useful. They were more

than quite useful, they played a huge roll right from the beginning,

and even when they weren't able to do very much, they played an

enormous part in making the submarines realising they were in

danger and ask submerging. By the beginning of 1941, the Germans

decided to move well-to-do West, -- well to the West, out of the range

of the rest of the aircraft. It was only with the deployment of

swordfish aircraft from escort carriers that it was possible for

Earth -- air forces to be brought on the German submarine force the whole

way across the Atlantic. She is meeting Captain John Hughes, master

of the Honourable Company of master mariners, another charitable

organisation. All of the people here today are intimately connected with

the sea, either the Royal Navy or the merchant Marine. And of course

representatives from the great city of Liverpool, whose fortunes have

been tied to Britain's trade escorted by Vice Admiral Sir Timothy

Laurence. He served in the Royal there. It was designed by the same

architect who designed Battersea Power Station, and those red

telephone boxes, those iconic telephone boxes that used to be

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scattered across the country. Gyles precision. The procession are just

famously, Sir Paul McCartney as a young man failed in his audition

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choir but an increasing number of to sound the fanfare. Above the

door, the one in the middle is the Royal Navy. On the left, the

Merchant Navy, and on the right, the blue and some of the Royal Naval

reserve. Constant reminders through this service of the joint nature of

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Reverend Doctor Cannon Pete Wilcox, # Glad when they said unto me.

# We will go. # Will go into the house of the

Lord. # Our feet shall stand in thy gates.

# O Jerusalem. # Our feet shall stand.

# Shall stand in thy gates. # Our feet shall stand.

# Our feet shall stand in thy gates. # O Jeru - sa - lem.

# Jeru - salem. # Is builded as a city.

# As a city. # Is builded as a city.

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# That is at u - nity. # O pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

# They shall prosper that love thee. # O pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

# Peace. # Be within thy walls.

# And plenteousness. # Plenteousness.

# Within thy palaces. # And plenteousness within thy

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process up the aisle. Now the welcome.

Welcome to Liverpool Cathedral, built to the glory of God, to serve

the mission of God in a diocese at whose heart lies this great port

city. We gather this morning for an act of remembrance before God and

particularly as we commemorate its 70th anniversary, to recall the

sacrifice of those who gave their lives during the Battle of the

Atlantic. We gather also to seek God's help, as we play our part in

the quest for peace and reconciliation throughout the world

today and for the just and courageous reconciliation of those

conflicts which still divide nations and communities. We gather this

morning thirdly to give thanks to God for the special riches which

come to a maritime nation and to a city with a great seafaring

tradition on account of our openness to the outsider onned our access to

cull -- and access to cultures beyond our own and because we

continue to depend on the peaceful passage of maritime trade we also

salute contemporary seafarers who put themselves at risk on the oceans

of the world and who hone their skills as sailors and mariners.

Rejoicing in every blessing we have received at his hand, let us give

praise to almighty God our eternal father.

During the hymn 69 standards led by the royal Royal Fleet Auxiliary

standards will process towards the standards will process towards the

standards will process towards the # Eternal Father, strong to save, #

whose arm hath bound the restless wave, # who bidd'st the mighty ocean

deep # its own appointed limits for those in peril on the sea. # O

Christ, whose voice the waters heard. # and hushed their raging at

thy word. # who walkedst on the foaming deep, # and calm amid the

storm didst sleep; # O hear us when we cry to thee # for those in peril

on the sea. # O Holy Spirit, who didst brood. # upon the waters dark

and rude. # and bid their angry tumult cease.

# and give, for wild confusion, peace:

# O hear us when we cry to thee. # for those in peril on the sea.

# O Trinity of love and power. # our brethren shield in danger's hour; #

from rock and tempest, fire and foe, # protect them wheresoe'er they go;

# thus evermore shall rise to thee # glad hymns of praise from land and

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Now the naval prayer which has remained almost unchanged since the

1660s. 1660s.

O eternal Lord God, who alone spreads out the heavens and rulest

the raging of the sea, who has compass the waters with bounds until

day and night come to an end. Be pleased to receive into thy and

almighty and most gracious protection the protections of us,

thy servants and the fleet in which we serve. Preserve us from the

dangers of the sea and of the air and from the violence of the enemy

that we may be a safeguard unto our most gracious Sovereign Lady, Queen

Elizabeth, and her Doe minions and the security for such as pass on the

seas upon their lawful occasions, that the inhabitants of our island

and Commonwealth may, in peace and quietness, serve thee, our God and

that we may return in safety to enjoy the blessings of the land with

the fruits of our labours and with a thankful remembrance of thy mercies,

to praise and glorify thy holy name through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen. Let us pray with confidence in the

words our saviour taught us. Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed

be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in

heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into

temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the

power and the glory, forever and ever, amen.

Sir George Zambellas there leading the congregation in prayer.

While the choir sing psalm 107, a remarkable record of the Battle of

the Atlantic authored by participants in the fighting will be

brought to the altar. # They that go down to the sea in

ships # And occupy their business

# In great waters # These men see the works of the

Lord # These men see the Lord

# And his wonders, his wonders his won-ders

# His won-ders in the deep. # For at his word and stormy wind

arise ariseth # For at his word of stormy wind

ariseth # Which lifteth up the waves there

# They are carried up to heaven # And down again to the deep

# They are carried up to the heaven # Their soul melteth away

# Because of the trouble # Their soul melteth away

# Because of the trouble # They reel to and fro,

# And stagger like a drunken man # They reel to and fro

# And stagger like a drunken man # And are at their wits' end

# So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble

# He delivereth them out of their distress

# So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble

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# He delivereth them # And so he bringeth them unto the

haven # Where they would be

# To the haven where they would be # To the haven where they would be.

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man's soul, the strength of his spirit and his irresistible power,

the greatness of his heart and the height of his condition, His mighty

confidence and contempt of dangers, His true security and repose in

himself, His liberty to dare and to do what he pleaseth, His alacrity in

the midst of fears, his invincible temper, Are advantages which make

him master of fortune. His courage fits him for all attempts, Makes him

serviceable to God and man And makes him the bulwark and defence of his

# Cannot quench love. While the choir sing, we have a very

poignant moment in the ceremony with the wreathlaying. We have a

connection of family and history. Vice Admiral Mike Gretton will lay a

also in the Navy and is also a descendant of a distinguished

forebear in the Battle of the Atlantic. He will lay a wreath on a

# Cannot quench love. Here is Mike Gretton going up to

Admiral Horton's Memorial. Horton was commander-in-chief from

late-night 42 -- late 1942. Sir William Gretton was a brilliant

anti-submarine officer, he played a big part. Yes, during 1943,

Commander Peter Gretton commanded the escort group which was involved

in two convoy actions, both of which were conducted extremely

distinguished league and furthermore, Gretton's group was one

of the most efficient and important ones. So much so that at one stage

to ring the first one, Gretton had to leave the post to refuel and his

group continued on, which was a great tribute to his training.

have Captain war, another naval descendant. -- Captain Walker. His

father was a brilliant anti-submarine officer. His

grandfather sorry. He is a sub Mariner, so an interesting choice --

significant. Indeed, Noble was the first commander of Western

Approaches in Liverpool. He has become slightly obscure in history

but nevertheless, he was very important in laying down the)

suppose and trying to establish some of the things that later put into

action -- laying down the principles. He was limited by the

resources he had and Horton took over and ran with it. Both made an

excellent job. Captain Walker, he was described by Churchill as

Churchill's for most U-boats killer, who was a remarkable man. He was

coming at a near passion for sinking submarines. He also developed

innovative tactics to be able to do it. I think it is very apt that the

statue to him is looking out to sea. He paid a terrible price? He did

indeed. He worked at it so hard that he fundamentally died whilst still

doing it. He actually died on the shore but he was still in

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appointment and he died at a young Anderson, reads from Acts of the

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.

When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could

achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail

past Crete, close to the shore. But soon a violent wind, called the

northeaster, rushed down from Crete. Since the ship was caught and could

not be turned with its head to the wind, we gave way to it and were

driven. By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were

scarcely able to get the ship's boat under control. After hoisting it up

they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would

run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea-anchor and so were driven. We

were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they

began to throw the cargo overboard, and on the third day with their own

hands they threw the ship's tackle overboard. When neither sun nor

stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of our

a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, 'Men, you

should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby

avoided this damage and loss. I urge you now to keep up your courage, for

there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.' For last

night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I

worship, and he said, "Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before

the emperor; and indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are

sailing with you." So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in

God that it will be exactly as I have been told. This is the word of

Rememberance for the Merchant Navy and the Royal Navy boys book which

contains the name of the 16 and 17-year-olds who died during the

war, it will be brought forwards towards the altar.

# O God, our help in ages past # Our hope for years to come

# Our shelter from the stormy blast # Under the shadow of thy throne

# Thy saints have dwelt secure # Sufficient is thine arm alone

# Before the hills in order stood # Our earth received her frame

# From everlast lasting,000 art God -- thou art God

-- thou art God -- thou art God

# A thousand ages in thy sight # Are like an evening gone

# Short as the watch that ends the night

# Time, like an ever-rolling stream # Bears all its sons away

# They fly, forgotten, as a dream # O God, our help in ages past

# Our hope for years to come # Be thou our guard while troubles

last # And our eternal home.

Next, the call to remembrance. We have come together today to offer

to almighty God our thankful remembrance of the courage and

sacrifice of all who took part in the Battle of the Atlantic during

the Second World War. In particular, we remember the men and women of the

Western preaches command, the Sir Max Horton, members of the Royal

Air Force coastal command who supported them from the air, the

brave men of the Merchant Navy who did not flinch from their duties and

the maritime regible who served with them. To their courage an perrer is

veerns we owe, under God, our very # We will remember them

# At the going down of the sun # And in the morning

# We will remember them # They shall grow not old as

# We that are left grow old # Age shall not weary them

# Nor the years condemn # At the going down of the sun

# And in the morning # We will remember them

faith and courage of all who have lived and died in the cause of

freedom and justice and especially for those who gave their lives in

devotion and sacrifice, strife and hatred may diminish and a just order

be established throughout the world. Rest eternal grant to them O Lord,

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and let light perpetual shine upon At the end of the Reveille they will

leave and the standard of the RAF and three books, well several books

of remembrance will be brought forward. Three Merchant Navy books

of remembrance, a roll of honour containing all those who lost their

lives and the Royal Navy boys book, recording the names of 572 boys,

young men, aged 16 and 17, who died during the war. It's being presented

and it was written by Jim rover eid, who D Reid, who wrote the book and

he knew some of the boys personally James Jones the bishop of Liverpool

joins by Bob Evans the chaplain of the Mersey mission to seamen. Here

comes Jim Reed with his Boys' Book. He will present it to the cathedral

lie braer so it will be on -- library, so it will be on public

display. This Book of Rememberance of the royal knavive boys -- Royal

Navy boys for your safe keeping in this cathedral church. On behalf of

the chapter of Liverpool Cathedral I gladly accept this charge. Reverend

father in God, I invite you to dedicate the refurbished lectern and

library of remembrance for those who have given their lives in service of

a nation during times of war. dedicate the lectern and library of

remembrance to be held in honour and respocted with care in the name of

the father, theson and of the Holy Spirit, as we hallow the memory of

those who gave their lives that we might live in peace and freedom. To

the Lord our God who created all things, by whose will they were

created and have their being, to him alone who is worthy to receive them,

be glory and honour and power. Amen. Next Danielle Thomas will sing a

Gallic blessing following her performance last night at the

performance last night at the performance last night at the

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you. # Deep peace of the flowing air to

# Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.

# Deep peace of the shining stars to you.

# Deep peace of the gentle night to you.

# Moon and stars pour their healing light on you.

# Deep peace of Christ. # Of Christ the light.

# Of the world to you. Is our strength and Redeemer, are

elements that define the character of an island nation. Their currents

not only chisel the seaboard, they lick into shape the men and women,

the children and families, the communities connected to their

coast. Never more so than in a time of war, when the island nation is

under threat of invasion. Thus in the Second World War the two

theatres of conflict that continue to stir both the imagination and the

pride of the nation are the battles of the air and the sea - the Battle

of Britain and the Battle of the Atlantic. Lost in the mists of time

is any sense of just how near to defeat the nation came in its

struggle with the tyranny that was marching across Europe. Not only

marching towards this island nation but sailing and flying - with terror

in its wings. Crucial to the defence of the allies was the engagement of

America. The King and Queen had made a successful visit to the States in

1939. It was decided that Queen Elizabeth should do a radio

broadcast to the women of America in order to gain more support for the

British war effort. Her Majesty and her advisers knew what every family

in Liverpool knows, that whereas the women let the men think they're in

charge, it's the women who really run the street! Not least because

when tragedy strikes a seafaring city, it is indeed the women who

hold in their arms the flock of "To you, tyranny is as hateful as it

is to us; to you the things for which we will fight to the death are

no less sacred; we fight to save a Cause that is yours no less than

ours. That, however great the cost and however long the struggle

justice and freedom, human dignity and kindness shall not perish from

the earth". And so it was that America came to the Cause. And

through a naval line as vital as an umbilical cord the wealth of America

was transfused into the Allied Body and the struggle to be free. But as

The Queen so presciently confessed, it was a sacred Cause to be defended

at a cost and with lives lost in a long struggle for "justice and

freedom, for human dignity and kindness." What we remember in this

service is that those who bore the cost were themselves denied that

"human dignity and kindness" in order that others might have it.

From the command headquarters here in Liverpool, ships of the Merchant

Navy sailed the Atlantic back and forth in convoys protected by ships

of the Royal Navy, constantly under threat from under water - the

U-boats that wreaked such devastation. 5000 ships sunk, some

80,000 crew members lost. The writer Christopher Lee recounted how seamen

talked "of the constant fear engendered by U-boats; of mangled

and screaming ship mates; of recurring nightmares; of donkeymen

and greasers who drank because they dreaded the prospect of a torpedo

bursting into the engine room and the certain death it brought". These

are the realities of the cause of freedom, this is the true cost of

the Battle of the Atlantic. The ocean became a harbour for their

souls so that, denied it themselves, "human dignity and kindness shall

not perish from the earth". Yet the convoys continued. Eventually the

disciplined fortitude of the Merchant Navy, the strategic skills

of the Royal Navy with such men as Captain Johnnie Walker, the

brilliance of the Bletchley Park Codebreakers, the courageous cover

offered by the Royal Air Force all combined to turn the tide against

the aggressor. Winston Churchill wrote that the U-boat peril was "the

only thing that really frightened him during the war". It was he who

named it the Battle of the Atlantic. He of all people understood the

severity of the threat and the strategic significance of the

victory for this island nation. Marbled into the human heart by the

Maker of Heaven and Earth is a streak of freedom - it's an impulse

that can be neither ignored nor forever repressed. It keeps coming

to the surface of human society like a drowning man coming up for breath.

The human spirit was made out of the free Spirit that is God himself. A

Spirit that is according to Christ as free and as unpredictable as the

wind itself. The Spirit of freedom cannot be contained. Indeed the

story of the human family told in the Bible is of a journey from

enslavement to liberation when one day the whole of creation will be

set free from the tyranny of evil, sin and death. And in that future

final freedom there will be reconciliation not and never with

evil itself but with all those delivered out of its dominion of

darkness. Oppressors can intimidate and tyrannise, can oppress and

suppress but in the end the human spirit cannot be bound in chains and

will fight to be free. That's what we commemorate here today as we own

the sacrifice of those that "went down to the sea in ships", who went

"down again to the deep" and were and freedom, human dignity and

kindness shall not perish from the earth", nor from this island nation

whose contours and character are forever shaped by both the air and

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

# Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice.

# Him serve with fear. # His praise forth tell.

# Come ye before him and rejoice. # The Lord, ye know, is God indeed.

# Without our aid. # He did us make.

# We are his folk. # He doth us feed.

# And for his sheep. # He doth us take.

# O enter then his gates with praise.

# Approach with joy. # His courts unto.

# Praise, laud, and bless his name always.

# For it is seemly so to do. # For why?

# The Lord our God is good. # His mercy is for ever sure.

# His truth at all times firmly stood.

# And shall from age to age endure. # The God whom heaven and earth

adore. # From men and from the angel host.

Burns, commanding officer of HMS Bulwark, currently the flagship of

O God our Father, ever calling us to live in peace and harmony. We

acknowledge the hatred, injustice, envy and greed which has so

afflicted your world in the past and to which peoples and nations so

easily succumb. Grant that, in our day, the Armed Services of our world

may be forces for good and not for evil. Championing justice, upholding

freedom, keeping the peace, protecting the weak, helping the

needy. That through service and sacrifice the kingdoms of this world

may reflect the kingdom of our Lord commander -- commanding German naval

officer. Our God and father of all, we ask

your blessing on all who bear the responsibilities and leadership

among the nations, through their endeavours and righteousness be

established, in international relationships, may fear and

suspicion be removed and lasting peace ensured. Through him who has

shown us the ways of generosity, reconciliation and mercy, Jesus

Christ, our Lord. Amen. Bitter enemies 70 years, now united in

remembering. Next captain Jeff Hamilton, commanding of Her

Majesty's Canadianship the Iroquois. We pray, O God, for all seafarers

throughout the world, as they fulfil the duties and face the dangers of

their calling. The officers, men and women of the Merchant Navy and

fishing fleets of many nations, the pilots of our ports, all who carry

out the services of docks and harbours and those who man lifeboats

and guard our coasts. Grant them your strength and protection and

keep them in the hour of special need, for Jesus Christ's sake.

During the war the ship was a destroyer that saw service on the

Atlantic and on the Arctic convoys. Grant us, O God, a vision of our

world, fair as it might be, a world of justice, where none shall prey on

others, a world of plenty, where poverty shall cease to fester, a

world of fellowship, where success shall be founded on service

honour be given to worth alone. A world of peace, where order shall

not rest on force but on mutual respect, both within and between

nations. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

We pray together. Lord, on the way of goodness, when we stumble, hold

us. When we fall, lift us up. When we are hard pressed by evil, deliver

us. When we turn from what is good, turn us back and bring us, at last,

to your glory. Amen. During the hymn the standards,

representing over 300 associations, # All praise and thanks to God above

# Praise, praise him for his boundless love

# Alleluia, alleluia. # All down the ages still the same

# Tell out the honours of his name. # O praise him, O praise him

# Alleluia, alleluia. # Alleluia.

# Praise for those saints who served God here

# Witnessing in his faith and fear # Alleluia, alleluia.

# They wrestled boldly for the right # To gain for all both light and

life. # O praise him, O praise him

# Alleluia # Each age has battles to be fought

# Each generation must be taught # Alleluia, alleluia.

# God is at work, his time is now # To serve him well must be our vow.

# O praise him, O praise him. # Alleluia, alleluia

# Not the beginning of the task, # But the continuing we ask

# Till it be finished thoroughly # Yielding true glory unto thee.

# O praise him, O praise him # Alleluia, alleluia

# This is our God for evermore # In gratitude let all adore

# He gave that we might learn to give

# O praise him by whose death we live

# O praise him, O praise him # Alleluia, alleluia

of good courage, Hold Fast to that which is good, render to no-one evil

for evil. Strengthen the faint hearted. Support the weak. Help the

afflicted. Honour all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the

power of the spirit and the blessing of God almighty, the father, the Son

and the Holy Spirit be among you and # God save our gracious Queen

# Long live our noble Queen # God Save the Queen.

# Send her victorious # Happy and glorious

# Long to reign over us # Thy choicest gifts in store

# On her be pleased to pour # Long may she reign.

# May she defend our laws # And ever give us cause

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

# To sing with heart and voice 69 standards processing out of the

cathedral. Jock, what is the importance of these standards, these

been at the centre of the ceremony? Absolutely, the standards are emblem

attic of the people who still, to this day, cohere socially and for

other purposes in order to remember and to stay together with their

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

Liverpool as they process out of the cathedral. We have seen other

services of remembrance and events all around the country. Derry

Londonderry, very important place, the place that all of the U-boats

ended up being impounded. Also the HMS Illustrious in London, all sorts

of events in the country. The battle of the Atlantic was not confined to

a single location in Britain. London's importance, although

diminished, it was also where the intelligence was and the Admiralty

collected trade thoughts. London was an important base for escort vessels

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 42 seconds

out of the cathedral. It feels like a great state occasion, has this

been an historic weekend? It has been like -- been an important

historical weekend. Looking back to the events of 70 years ago and also

ahead, because this is a diminishing facility. This will be the last

event for many people of any such sort. Do you think we will go on

having events like this once the veteran start to pass on? I hope so

because it is an important matter for people to take on and learn. It

is a difficult matter to understand because it is a complex basis but

the veterans are one of the best nuclei for understanding what went

on, and with them diminishing it will become more difficult. Do you

think for the 100th anniversary, perhaps, we will still have a sense

of the importance of the battle? hope so but we can say almost

certainly that we will have nobody here who took part in it. That will

be a pity and that is the responsible at he placed on future

generations, to attempt to keep bringing it up and recurring in the

national conscience -- that is the responsibility. One group in

Liverpool remember all the Battle of the Atlantic from a very different

standpoint. They are the men who fought the battle from the air.

Royal Navy pilots to launch themselves off aircraft carriers

which were often specially converted merchant ships.

When I was a schoolboy I used to read the magazines that were popular

at the day, the rover, the adventure. There were two stories,

one was about someone who flew aircraft from an aircraft carrier. I

thought, I would like to do that myself. The other one was a story

about a deck officer on the Merchant Navy. That sounds interesting as

well. I actually became both. I achieved my ambitions at the age of

18, I didn't have any ambition since then. I was a pilot during the

Battle of the Atlantic, I flew swordfish aircraft from a merchant

aircraft carrier on Atlantic convoys. The main purpose was to

keep the U-boats underwater. Sink them, if you saw them. But if you

kept them under water, they were slower than the convoy, so they got

left behind. It was a kind of preventative medicine. It wasn't so

dramatic, it was rather boring, a lot of the flying, but it was very

important. We used to fly at 600 to 800 feet into our, to three hour

patrols ahead of the convoy, around the convoy. If the engine coughed

while you were flying, your hair stood on end, believe me.

Altogether, the swordfish sank more enemy shipping than any other allied

aircraft. They were very dependable. Simple, straightforward

quite handy to crash in because they had a lot of give. I had one or two

incidents in the swordfish. I got through five British aircraft

altogether during the war in crashes. If I was German would have

got across for that, I think. It is great to be here in the Western

Approaches building. Such an important building at the time of

the Battle of the Atlantic, the whole operation of the convoys was

monitored from here. It was a very busy port, there were factories

working hard. It was very important town altogether. The people suffered

great deal from the bombing in Liverpool, an awful lot of

casualties. They suffered in many different ways. Of the 200 odd

convoys that were escorted by merchant aircraft carriers, there

were only two ships sunk. The ammunition ship blew up totally, a

big bang and a flash, we saw it quite clearly. The tanker caught

fire and started going around in circles with flames going over the

deck and that was a horrible thing to see. I saw at close hand just

what it was like for the ships that were attacked during the war at

various times. I have friends in the Mersey group. We meet once a month

and have lunch on board HMS Eagle. Part of the Royal Naval reserve

officers club of Liverpool. You have always got plenty of conversation,

plenty to talk about. That was a wonderful aircraft. We used to sing

songs, didn't we? I don't think we could repeat them. Except the first

one about in the royal air force, the landing is OK, if the pilot can

get up and still walk away. The prospects are grim... You soon find

out if you can't swim. You are about two years older than I am. Two years

in the Fleet Air Arm during the war was a long, long time. If we lost

the Battle of the Atlantic, we would have lost the war, there is no doubt

about it. I often think about the people who lost their lives and were

fighting for perhaps a different sort of world it has turned out to

be. Wonderful stories. I am joined by Captain Andrew Burns, the

commanding officer of HMS Bulwark, and Albert Owings, you are a

Liverpool boy, born and bred and you served in the Battle of the

Atlantic. The Liverpool Blitz, it must have been extra ordinary to

experience. -- must have been extraordinary. It was very grim

indeed. I was working at a factory producing electronic components. By

the time I was 17, the dayshift would go off at six o'clock and the

night shift would come on at eight o'clock, and I would be on my own in

a building employing nearly about 1000 people for is a bit was my job

to check everything was locked up between the shifts. Of course, there

were aircraft coming over and dropping the odd bomb on the

outskirts of Liverpool, after finishing at the centre of

Liverpool. It was a matter of getting it done at the age of 17,

going around the factory and knowing that there was one bunker where I

might have been so. It never occurred to me, actually, I got on

the job. You are actually serving in the Battle of the Atlantic as well?

Yes, I was wanted to go to sea. The chance came to be a radio operator

-- oil is wanted to go to. I took the money from the -- my sister, I

could not afford it. It was December 1941, not long after Pearl Harbor.

That was the other part of my story. Andrew, the Port of Liverpool, what

is it like to be in command of your ship at the weekend? It is a great

privilege to be in command of the Royal Navy's flagship and to be part

of these commemorations. Liverpool have all -- has always had a strong

relationship with the Royal Navy and continues to support it this weekend

will stop the crowd at the docks are extraordinary, it is wildly popular.

It is fantastic, thousands of people have been visiting all of the ships.

It is great for the Royal Navy to be able to demonstrate what we do.

Royal Navy are here in parallel with the merchant Navy, is that link

still very close today? It is and it has to be, nothing has changed, we

remain a island nation dependent on the sea and those same lines of

communication are still vital for our own economy. 94% of our trade

still travels over the sea. It is extremely important the Navy is

perfecting those lines of communication and we are doing that

today all over the world. What parallels are there with the wartime

service and with today's Royal Navy? There are many. In terms of the

naval control of shipping, that relationship was critical to the

outcome of the Battle of the Atlantic. It remains critical today.

We need to maintain our ability to react to changing threats. The

development of anti-submarine warfare continues today. We conduct

joint and combined operations with Canadian and American allies and the

Royal air force. That is an important component of what the

Royal Navy delivers. What did you make of today's service? I was very

moved, I have not heard a service like that in a very long time. I was

very moved, tears almost came to my eyes at points. It is humbling, to

feel people feel about us, something we would not have appreciated, we

could not realise, and I went away in all innocence and did the job.

And a very good job indeed. There is a procession at 12:30 p.m. So the

rest of Liverpool can get involved in what we have witnessed today.

From this magnificent cathedral here in Liverpool, it has been a day of

remembering. It has been very poignant and the veterans have

played a crucial central role. The bravery shown 70 years ago by

thousands of sailors and the people of Liverpool, like Alberts, is