Today, H.M. the Queen unveiled the Merchant Navy Memorial, Tower Hill, London. The Memorial is a tribute to the 24,000 men and women who were lost during the Second World War and have no grave but the sea. We Remember them. 

WATCH: footage of the Queen unveiling the Merchant Navy Memorial

The 11,182-ton refrigerated cargo motorship Cymric 
(Yard No. 1453) was launched in Belfast today for Shaw Savill & Albion Co. Ltd., London. The ship’s name revived an old White Star Line name last used in 1897 for Yard No. 316 (See: Ship Fact Files Cymric I). Cymric, was the second of two sister ships ordered; Cedric (Yard No. 1445), reviving another famous White Star Line name, was launched on 22 May.

The propelling machinery of both vessels was constructed by the builder, consisted of two Harland & Wolff - B&W single-acting, two stroke cycle, eccentric-crosshead, opposed-piston oil engines. Each cylinder was 750mm in diameter, with a stroke of 2,000mm. The launch of Cymric was immediately followed by the trial voyage of her sister Cedric in Belfast Lough.

The 3,223-ton cargo ship Lycia (Yard No. 198) was launched in Belfast today shortly before noon for D. & C. MacIver, Liverpool. Her dimensions were: Length 345 feet; Breadth of beam 40 feet, 9 inches. She was classed 100 AI at Lloyd’s of London, their highest rating. Her triple-expansion machinery and boilers were designed and built by Harland & Wolff.

Lycia was a sister ship of Etolia (Yard No. 196) launched in January, the two vessels were intended for the Company’s Bombay trade.

The 495-ton iron cargo ship Holmhurst (Yard No. 132) was launched at 2pm today for the Burnley Colliery Co. (manager: J. H. Thursby). The vessel, a sister ship of Thursby (Yard No. 101), was intended for the cross-Channel trade and fitted with ‘a propeller possessing all the latest improvements’. Holmhurst sank in the English Channel, seven miles south of the Eddystone Light, after coming into collision with another vessel on 15 February 1885.