MNWMF History

Prior to its formation, several prominent citizens conducted an appeal for Funds, known as the Merchant Navy War Memorial appeal, the first meeting of the appeal committee being held on 6 December 1944. The appeal was effectively launched at the Town Hall Sydney on 19 July 1945, at which the Lord Mayor of Sydney presided. As a result of this appeal, several thousands of pounds were raised, and the company known as The Merchant Navy War Memorial Fund (Limited by Guarantee), was formed.

At the instigation of the Senior Chaplain, Rev. CA Goodwin, of the Mission to Seamen in Sydney the first meeting of directors was held on 22 March 1946. In the years following World War II numerous fund-raising activities were organised.

Activities

Since inception the Fund has actively pursued its primary objects. In 1947 a section of the Necropolis at Rookwood in which seamen are interred was granted to The Merchant Navy War Memorial Fund by the Church of England Cemetery Trust. The stone wall enclosing the Merchant Navy section and the buildings erected thereon were paid for by the Fund. The ongoing maintenance of the site is conducted by the Rookwood Necropolis Trust. An annual memorial service has been conducted by the Merchant Navy Association in April since 1964 which is now organised by the Merchant Navy War Memorial Fund in association with the Merchant Navy Association, Company of Master Mariners of Australia and the Merchant Navy RSL Sub-branch.

In 1977 the Fund merged a large part of its assets with those of the Sydney Bethel Union to purchase and refurbish a building in Macquarie Place, to accommodate the activities of the Sydney Missions to Seamen. That building was subsequently sold and replaced by an historic school building in Sussex Street which today houses the Missions to Seafarers.

The Fund responded to a request from the Merchant Navy Association together with the RSL Merchant Navy Subbranch and the Company of Master Mariners to construct a Merchant Navy National War Memorial on the Shores of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra. The Merchant Navy War Memorial Fund granted the sum of $100,000 to enable this project to proceed. With government assistance and donations from several Public Companies, the Memorial was completed in October 1990. A service of commemoration is held at the Memorial annually, with financial assistance from the Fund.

Over the years the Fund has made donations to various organisations and Committees to assist in the building of Memorials to Merchant Seamen who have given their lives in wartime, including the ‘Centaur’ memorial at Point Danger and memorials at Newcastle, Fremantle, Albany, Triabunna, Adelaide, Waub Bay and Ballina.

In 2008 the Fund made its inaugural donation to the Australian Maritime College to establish a scholarship to commemorate those who served in the Merchant Marine during the World Wars and particularly those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

In 2019 a major fundraising program was undertaken for new and remedial work at the National Merchant Navy War Memorial on Lake Burley Griffin Canberra which were completed in October 2019. The project provided for the installation in bronze of the names & respective ships of the 862 Australian Merchant Mariners that sacrificed their lives for their country in WWI (184) & WWII (678).

Working with the Memorial’s Architectural firm Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn, Construction company MANTEENA and other advisors a detailed Project submission was approved by the governing body, the National Capital Authority (NCA), in February 2019. The new works provided for the addition of four (4) new concrete blades in an outer circle to the existing blades, on a new section of pavement. The new blades (2 on each side) bear the 862 names. As we continue to encourage a younger generation to become involved in the recognition of the Merchant Navy, the new works add significant additional meaning, especially at the time of the annual commemoration. The new & remedial works were officially opened on 20 October 2019 by Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds, CSC, Minister for Defence.

In 2024 another fundraising program was undertaken for new and remedial work at the Merchant Navy War memorial Metropolitan Memorial Parks (MMP) Rookwood. The centrepiece of the project was the installation of four (4) bronze plaques bearing the names & respective ships of the 862 Australian Merchant Mariners that sacrificed their lives for their country in WWI & WWII copied from the Canberra memorial but displayed on different plaques matching the Rookwood setting.

With the assistance of the Canberra Memorial’s Architectural firm, Daryl Jackson Alastair Swayn, local trades people and the governing body, MMP, the works were completed within four months. The new & remedial works were officially opened on 14 April 2024 by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley, AC, KC, Governor of NSW.