Guernsey Press

Remembrance service for MV Prosperity crew

A SERVICE of remembrance was held on Saturday for one of the worst maritime disasters in local history.

Published
Captain Peter Gill of the Guernsey Branch of the RNLI lays a wreath of poppies in a service of remembrance to the men who died when their ship the MV Prosperity ran aground in stormy seas in 1974. Below, St John’s Ambulance Chief Officer Mark Mapp lays a wreath of poppies. (Pictures by Stacey Upson, 25726511)

A total of 18 people perished when the MV Prosperity got into trouble in a hurricane force storm off the island’s west coast on the night of 16 January 1974.

The Guernsey Association of Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Merchant Navy’s annual service has been held at The MV Prosperity Memorial on the Lihou Island headland since the 1970s.

It was formerly part of Remembrance Sunday but for the past three years it has been a stand-alone event that coincides with Merchant Navy Day.

Major Jamie Hill of The Salvation Army conducted the short service and wreaths were laid on behalf of the GARNRM&MN, St John Ambulance, The Guernsey branch of the RNLI and The Salvation Army.

GARNRM&MN vice president Capt. Ian Brouard was in the Merchant Navy from 1965 to 2013.

He was on deep-sea ships from 1965 to 1972 and then home ships for the remainder.

‘I was on the Commodore Trader on the night of the disaster,’ he said.

‘We were coming out of St Malo and when we heard the weather forecast we went straight to a sheltered anchorage.

‘We were listening on the radio to the ship in distress.

‘The MV Prosperity had lost engine power and the captain had put out a mayday call.

‘The crew were Greek and it was difficult to understand him. We heard him say that they were going around but we’ve always thought that he probably meant they were going aground as the ship ended up on La Conchee Reef off Perelle.’

Guernsey branch of the RNLI committee member Capt. Peter Gill also remembered the night vividly.

‘They decided to abandon ship but had they stayed in the mid-ship accommodation they might have had a chance of survival,’ he said.

‘I remember reading all the Coroner’s reports on each crew member which was very chilling and sobering.’

Major Hill said the MV Prosperity had been due to go to the breaker’s yard after some three decades of service once it had delivered its cargo of wood.

This never happened due to the tragic consequences.