A poignant event has honoured the brave service of sailors in the Second World War.
Veterans returned to their wartime headquarters in Lowestoft as the Royal Naval Patrol Service Association (RNPSA) held their 47th annual service of remembrance at Belle Vue Park, where a memorial to fallen service members is based.
During the Second World War, the town was the central depot of the RNPS, whose main role was minesweeping and anti-submarine marine warfare duties to keep vital supply lines open.
Around 180 people gathered at the war memorial for the service on Saturday, October 8 which was also attended by deputy mayor of Lowestoft, Nasima Begum, and was conducted by Rev Peter Paine, Port Chaplain of the Mission to Seafarers with the association’s president Cdr Garry Titmus and vice president David Braybrooke also taking part.
The headquarters, HMS Europa, was in the Sparrow’s Nest Gardens with other bases around the town.
There were about 66,000 men in the Patrol Service serving in 6,000 ships of which 14,000 were killed and 600 ships were lost.
Praising the turnout at the annual reunion, Leo Whisstock, national secretary of the RNPS Association, said: "The event went off very well, the weather was perfect, sunny without being too hot and also no wind.
"There were about 180 people in attendance and the standards this year included, amongst others, the standard of the Beccles Sea Cadet Unit and also the Colour of the Lowestoft Sea Cadet Unit - T.S. Europa after our Patrol Service wartime HQ HMS Europa.
"Unfortunately our affiliated unit, Lowestoft is being closed by the Sea Cadet Corps and is in the process of being merged with Beccles.
"Special permission was given for its colour to be paraded for the last time at our reunion and it was carried with pride by Lowestoft Cadet Millie Graves."
Mr Whisstock added: "We still managed to get three Second World War Patrol Service men to our reunion which is quite remarkable.
"Our President Commander Garry Titmus gave a speech with the connection to the Royal Family and our association."
With the salute and 'sunset' ceremony taking place outside the museum in Sparrows Nest Gardens, Mr Whisstock said: "Afterwards our museum was open for people to have a look at the changes we were able to make during the pandemic lockdown."
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