MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands war: Plymouth and Liverpool remember UK merchant navy sailors killed

Deputy Lord Mayor of Plymouth Chris Penberthy said the commemoration was “a really important day... to specifically remember the civilians who [supported] the task force” (Pic BBC)

The city of Plymouth held a ceremony to remember British Merchant Navy sailors killed in the Falklands War and other conflicts. Wreaths were laid during the gathering at the Merchant Navy Monument on the city's Hoe seafront.

The ceremony was held 40 years on from an attack on the SS Atlantic Conveyor, which saw 12 crew killed. It also marked the deaths of 48 sailors during an attack on the RFA Sir Galahad two weeks later. The service also commemorated sailors lost in the Vietnam and Gulf wars.

Non-military cargo vessels and tankers in the Merchant Navy were critical in keeping British armed forces supplied with food, fuel, weaponry and other equipment and vehicles during the Falklands War.

The Atlantic Conveyor was the first British merchant ship to be lost to enemy fire since World War Two when it was hit in a missile attack.

Christopher Spencer, chairman of the Plymouth Merchant Navy Association, said: “It was carrying spare aircraft; planes, helicopters and guys to do the work... It was a big loss.”

Deputy Lord Mayor of Plymouth Chris Penberthy said the commemoration was “a really important day... to specifically remember the civilians who [supported] the task force”.

A service was also held in Liverpool to mark the Atlantic Conveyor's loss as it was Merseyside-registered.

Atlantic Conveyor was a merchant navy roll-on, roll-off, container  ship commissioned by the military, through the STUFT system (Ships Taken Up From Trade) to transport equipment to the Falkland Islands in support of the Conflict.