Dorset Council will recognise the significant contribution the Merchant Navy makes towards the safety and economy of the UK by raising the Red Ensign over County Hall. The people of Dorset are most welcome to attend the parade, hear the speeches, and see the flag raised from in front of the entrance to County Hall in Colliton Park, Dorchester, on Tuesday September 3rd at 10am. The Raising of the Red Ensign is a national event that will be celebrated by many councils throughout the UK.
In his Foreword to the occasion, in a guide detailing the Merchant Navy’s role during WW1 and today, Admiral The Right Honourable The Lord West of Spithead, GCB, DSC, PC, says
“The Red Ensign, or ‘Red Duster’ as it is affectionately known, has been the recognised flag of the British Merchant Navy since I854. It has become inextricably linked with the world-wide trade links that made the United Kingdom’s fortune in the intervening years and, while there are now fewer ships on the home register, many thousands of British seafarers still work on the oceans of the world, underpinning the vast majority of the international commerce that keeps our economy buoyant. By volume, 95% of our trade comes by sea; without it we would surely become an insignificant island off the coast of Europe.
“I am asking every Local Authority in the nation to fly the Red Ensign on the 3rd of September.”
The full document from which the above quote comes also includes a message from HRH The Earl of Wessex and has information about Merchant Navy Day, the Merchant Navy Fund and Seafarers UK. View the guide here. Also see more information about Seafarers UK
