Keeping the memory alive for generations to come
Princess Margriet unveils De Boeg, the monument for the war casualties of the merchant navy
Raising awareness of the role of the Dutch merchant navy during the Second World War
Without the contribution of the Dutch merchant navy in World War II, there would have been no liberation in 1945. For this historic achievement, we can be collectively proud of our merchant navy veterans.
Yet too few Dutch people know about their heroic role. That is why we see it as our mission to highlight the indispensable role of the merchant navy in World War II. And to ensure that merchant navy crew members receive the lasting recognition and appreciation they deserve.
HRH Princess Margriet
"At my birth, in the midst of the Second World War, in Canada, my parents asked the Dutch Merchant Navy to be the godparent of their newborn daughter.
With this request to the merchant navy, my parents intended to encourage the thousands of sailors who fought on the Allied side. They saw the godparenthood of the Merchant Navy as a symbol and a sign of hope for a special group: the merchant seafarers who were fighting for the freedom of our country during the war.
For me, this marked the beginning of a lifelong bond, a red thread that, after we returned to the Netherlands, further intertwined me with the merchant navy."
From the speech by Princess Margriet - as godchild of the Dutch Merchant Navy - delivered on Dutch Veterans Day, in the Ridderzaal, The Hague, 30 June 2012
When our little Margriet was born on 19 January 1943 and the Homeland was suffering under the heavy pressure of the occupier, our tricolour flew proudly and freely from the ships of the Dutch fleet.
In deep admiration for the work carried out fearlessly by our brave compatriots, my husband and I were delighted that the Dutch Merchant Navy accepted Margriet as godchild. The daisy emblem with anchor, worn by the Dutch merchant navy seamen, is a lasting reminder of this bond.
It is my privilege, as Patron of the Princess Margriet Fund, to present this emblem to you on the fifth birthday of our child.
I ask you to accept it as a symbol of our enduring sympathy with you and yours, and of our deep gratitude for the work of the one you held dear.
Juliana
A great success
The reunion and the commemoration were a great success and soon became annual events. From 1968 onward, the commemoration has taken place on 4 May. Initially annually, alternating with the Royal Netherlands Navy in Den Helder at the monument 'For those who fell'. Since the 1980s annually in Rotterdam at the National Merchant Navy Monument De Boeg.
Remembering and keeping the memory alive
In addition to organising the reunion and the commemoration, the Committee soon acquired another task: ensuring that the achievements and sacrifices of the Dutch merchant navy during the Second World War were remembered and kept alive. Because despite their significant role, the seafarers received no recognition and were hardly mentioned at commemorations.
In the 1980s, the annual reunion evolves into an annual commemorative voyage. Voyages where merchant navy seamen and their family members can meet each other(more about this in this article from 2008) and pay tribute to those who fought for our freedom. A commemoration and reminder of how important it is to cherish and protect our freedom.
