Knowing that we would be marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day this year, I was honoured recently to meet a Merchant Navy veteran of the Second World War.
John Davies was born on 8 December 1922 in Liverpool, and went to sea on leaving school at 14 years old. Having joined the Cunard White Star Line as a deckhand, Mr Davies soon found himself in the grips of WW2, as the British Merchant Navy was requisitioned almost in its entirety by the government to serve King and Country.
Still aged only 16, young John was assigned to serve on the brand new French liner SS Pasteur, which had been commandeered by the UK government and placed under Cunard management. It was one of many ships that he served on during the war years, in various daring theatres of operation. The cargoes included troops and supplies for the war – ammunition, weapons, vehicles and food and fuel.
In recognition of his unwavering dedication to duty, Mr Davies was decorated with awards including the Atlantic Medal with France and Germany Bar, the Pacific Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945.
He arrived back in the UK shortly after VE Day, so missed all the nationwide celebrations and street parties, but he was finally able to marry his childhood sweetheart Marjorie a few days later.
After the war, he returned to regular Cunard White Star liner service, rising to the rank of bosun (pictured) and serving on vessels including the Mauretania and Phrygia until he came ashore in 1963.
However, he told me modestly he 'was never good enough to make it to a Cunard Queen', so I was delighted to put that right by inviting him onboard the Queen Mary 2 in Southampton earlier this year.
Now aged 102, John Davies is the oldest surviving Cunard crew member, and his modern-day counterparts were proud to give him a guard of honour and present him with a ceremonial bosun's whistle.
Captain Aseem Hashmi
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