Ebrington basedsailor memorials

The local Royal Naval Association (RNA) will this year mark the 70th anniversary of the ‘turning of the tide’ when U boats were withdrawn from the North Atlantic.

According to the RNA: “In recognition of the anniversary, a bronze statue of a sailor has been commissioned to represent all the nations that took part in the longest battle of World War Two.

“The project was initiated by the Royal Naval Association to replicate the Universal Mariner sculpture at Halifax, Nova Scotia. The statue at Ebrington will be known as the International Sailor and will be unveiled on May 11.”

The statue will sit on a granite plinth outside the proposed Maritime Museum at Ebrington - it’s already there - and will be the first thing people see on the left hand side when they enter Ebrington Square from the Peace Bridge.

Cast in bronze and mounted on a mixed granite and concrete base it’s similar to the Sailor Statue, which is located in Halifax, Canada. The local Branch of the Royal Naval Association is holding a three day event over Friday, May 10 to Sunday, May 12.

Visitors from Canada, Norway, Italy, Australia, the United State, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland are expected to attend.

On Friday there will be a commemoration event for the crew of HMS Laurentic at the memorials in Co Donegal hosted by the Ulster Newfoundland Initiative and on Sunday there will be a parade to, and commemoration service in, St Columb’s Cathedral.

The RNA thanked the Culture Company, Londonderry Port & Harbour, Ilex, the Royal Norwegian Navy, Ulster Garden Villages, the Honourable the Irish Society, Northern Ireland War Memorials, members of the Royal Naval Association and local citizens for their support.