COVID-19 may have slowed celebrations down, but a service was still organised to remember the men and women who served in the Merchant Navy.

Captain Kenneth Camp says there was a small, private service held on September 6 in lieu of the larger memorial day held each year.

'Thanks to the Mount RSA, we had a small get-together in the Gallipoli Room at midday on September 6.

'They had some reflections and played the Last Post and the national anthem, then a few of us went and had a very pleasant lunch afterwards.”

The local Sea Cadets usually get involved in Tauranga Merchant Navy Memorial Day, but due to Level 2 restrictions, this year they showed their respects differently.

'Because the Sea Cadets couldn't make it, on the Wednesday night when they mustered, they held a flag service for a few moments and they played the Last Post and had a moment of silence to remember the merchant seamen who were lost in the two world wars, which I thought was rather nice of them,” says Captain Camp.

Merchant Navy Memorial Day is typically held on the Sunday closest to September 3 – the official memorial day and the day that marks the beginning of the war, says Captain Camp.

Because of this, there will be no memorial service later in the year.

'The whole point is to try and get it as close to September 3, the beginning of the war, as we can.

'There's really not much point in holding it later on this year – it loses it's meaning a little bit then.

'We had our little service and I think it went down really well; everyone that was there said they appreciated it.

'It was a good little service, but unfortunately nothing like the one we usually hold.”

Tauranga Merchant Navy Memorial Day will next be held on Sunday, September 5, 2021.