Thanks Tom, agree with everything you say. After I found out my dad was on this ship, I came across the excellent book: 'Goodnight, Sorry for Sinking You' by Ralph Barker - the title of the book echos the words spoken to those in No.6 lifeboat by Karl-Friedrich Merten. He gave them a course for St Helena but admitted later in a TV documentary that he didn't think any would survive. Many did survive due to the qualities you mention but 107 souls did not. Lest we forget.
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"If Blood was the price
We had to pay for our freedom
Then the Merchant Ship Sailors
Paid it in full”
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