Bangor Rotary Act of Remembrance

A World War Two Royal Navy veteran, who will celebrate his 100^th birthday in January, played a major part in Bangor Rotary Club’s annual Remembrance Service.

Proudly wearing his service medals, Morrell Murphy, who almost lost his life when his ship was torpedoed in the English Channel, spoke the Words of Remembrance and the Kohima Epitaph.  Morrell was rescued by an American vessel and eventually made his way home to his family in Belfast.

World War Two veteran Morrell Murphy along with Bangor Rotary Club Past President Bill Aiken, President Margaret Francey and guest speaker, Colin Burrows, at the Club’s annual Remembrance Service.

The service began with the Rotary Club President Margaret Francey explaining the background to the famous wartime poem ‘In Flanders Fields’

The poem was then recited by Past President Paul Megarity.

A prayer remembering all those who died in the two World Wars and other more recent conflicts was said by Past President Bill Aiken, who had organised the service.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Karen Douglas, who is also a member of the Rotary Club, read a passage from the Bible.

The service was attended not only by Rotarians and guests but members of North Down Probus Clubs as well as two representatives of the Royal British Legion, Bill and Ann Fitzsimons.

A retiring collection raised £400 for the Legion.

Following the lunch a talk was given by Colin Burrows a former senior police officer.

He explained how trauma affects people who have faced critical life-threatening situations. He said a person’s five senses played a major role in how people react to trauma as they can reignite the memory of the danger they found themselves in.