MERCHANT Navy veterans gathered to remember fallen colleagues in a moving ceremony yesterday.

More than a dozen World War Two seamen, who played a dangerous role supplying fuel, ammunition and transport for the war effort, were joined by young sea cadets in a short but poignant remembrance.

Capt Norman Banner, 77, of Tarbet Drive, Breightmet, outlined the unsung role of merchant seamen.

He said: "If you are going across the Atlantic on a tanker and it goes up you haven't a cat in hell's chance.

"I've been on ammunition ships too. There were thousands of us. Nowadays they would want counselling when they came back."

A Red Ensign flag flew from Bolton Town Hall in recognition of the 40,000 merchant navy mariners who lost their lives in the Second World War.

The figure represents a death toll of one in three men -- a higher mortality rate than any of the armed services during the conflict.

But yesterday was the first time their efforts had been nationally recognised.

Plans to lay a wreath in front of the war memorial in Victoria Square had to be amended because a generator, which had been used for last week's town centre Lifestyles exhibition for the Over-50s, was in the way.

Instead, veterans had to settle for placing the wreath at the side of the memorial.

Don Gabbott, acting secretary of the Bolton branch of the Merchant Navy Association, said: "We are very disappointed. The generator was supposed to have been moved. There has been a complete communication breakdown."