YP Letters: Merchant Navy's bravery should not be forgotten

HOW very refreshing it was to read the letter from Dr Hopkins (The Yorkshire Post, November 27) talking about the brave sailors who risked their lives to bring us food during the Second World War, and on the dreadful Arctic Convoys.

My father was one of those brave members of the Merchant Navy who was fortunate enough to survive the war, but sadly died of cancer aged 53. He seldom spoke of the war, but I do remember once when he spoke of how terribly sad it was in the convoys, seeing unfortunate 
men in the sea and not being 
able to slow the ship to pick 
them up.

I never feel sufficient mention is given, by a long way, to the extremely brave members of the Merchant Navy when the special events recalling those dark days are remembered in the media, especially on Armistice Day.

I do support The Mission to Seafarers, especially as I was born at the Whitby branch, 
where we lived until I was 
seven (now a thriving fishing school) because my father was the caretaker.

Thanks to hard work and determination, my father very soon became a chief steward, but sadly he had very little home life. Nor did he live to enjoy retirement, a time which I had always looked forward to greatly, but it was not to be.