Wightlink Ferries will be remembering the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War on Saturday (28th June).
All of the company’s ferries will fly their flags and ensigns at half mast during the day as a sign of mourning for the 15,000 men of the merchant marine who were killed during the war. Captains will also sound their ships’ horns at exactly 18:00 BST, the hour of the firing of the first shot that sparked the conflict.
Wightlink Operations Director Elwyn Dop said:
“We are proud to play our part in marking the start of the 1914-18 conflict and honouring the memory of our fellow mariners who paid the ultimate price.
“We especially remember the sinking of the British ocean liner Lusitania by a German submarine off the coast of southern Ireland in 1915, with the loss of nearly 1,200 lives.”
The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) have made the request of all vessels at sea at the time.
