Merchant Navy Day commemorates civilian seafarers

Merchant Navy Day is observed annually on September 3 to honor the civilian seafarers who served during the World Wars. The date commemorates the anniversary of the sinking of the British passenger liner SS Athenia by a German submarine in 1939, which occurred shortly after the declaration of World War II.

In Australia, the contribution of merchant mariners involved transporting troops, fuel, food, and munitions, often on vessels that were unarmed or lightly armed. The Australian War Memorial estimates that more than 800 Australian merchant mariners died serving the Allied cause across both World Wars. During World War II, the fatality rate among members of the Seamen's Union of Australia was approximately 8.5 percent, a higher proportion than that of Australia's armed services.

During the Japanese invasion of New Guinea in 1942, a ‘Rag Tag Fleet’ of civilian vessels, including fishing trawlers, tugs, and paddle steamers, was utilized by Allied forces to deliver essential supplies such as weapons, medical supplies, and food to troops in the South-West Pacific.