Retired Royal Marines join Mersey Ferry ceremony to mark 93rd anniversary of Zeebrugge

Apr 20 2011 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

RETIRED Royal Marines marched on Seacombe on Sunday to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the Zeebrugge Raid.

The annual Zeebrugge Remembrance service, organised by the Merseyside branch of the Royal Marines Association (RMA), was held at Seacombe Ferry Terminal and onboard the Royal Daffodil.

An on-board service was conducted by ex-paratrooper Len Singleton, Padre to the northern region of the RMA, conducted the on-board service.

Floral tributes were thrown into the Mersey along with the ashes of Royal Marine Association veterans who died in the last 12 months.

On April 23 1918, a plan was hatched to sink tankers in a channel at Zeebrugge to stop German U-boats and destroyers. The original Daffodil and Iris ferries acted as landing craft for marines and tugboats to HMS Vindictive, coming under heavy fire.

As a result King George V awarded them the title of “Royal” ferries.

Neil Scales, chief executive of Merseytravel, said: “We should never forget those who lost their lives at Zeebrugge nor the bravery of the crews of our own ferries who took part.”