Merchant ships and their crews that were lost in WWII to be remembered today.

By Pepper Parr

August 3^rd, 2025

BURLINGTON, ON

The Naval Ships’ Memorial Monument in Spencer Smith Park was unveiled on May 14, 1995, marking the 50th anniversary of VE Day and honouring those lost at sea during the Second World War. The monument was funded by public donations and is dedicated to the memory of Canadian naval and merchant navy personnel and ships lost during the war.

The Armed Services are recognized annually – Remembrance Day was created for that purpose.

The Merchant Marine will be remembered today at a short ceremony at the Memorial in Spencer Smith Park.

The statute of a seaman stands atop the memorial.  On the north side there is a list of all the merchant ships that were lost.  These are the ships that carried the supplies that Great Britain relied upon to feed the British people during the war.

Seventy-five ships were lost.

The names of the merchant ships lost during WWII are listed on the north side of the monument.