Service commemorates 35th Anniversary of the Zeebrugge disaster

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Sunday 6 March 2022 saw the 35th Anniversary service commemorating the Zeebrugge disaster in 1987, when 193 souls perished.

Prayers were said, the seafarers' hymn 'Eternal Father, strong to save' was sung, the names of those who died were read, and Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover, gave the address, following in the footsteps of her predecessor Bishop Richard Third, who preached at the first memorial service a week after the tragedy.

All of Dover was touched by the loss of the Herald. Everyone knew someone who had lost a family member or friend. Every Dovorian knows where they were when they first heard the news.

Over the past 35 years, St Mary's Church, with its memorial window and the ship's bell, has been a haven for those who mourn, and all affected by the loss of the Herald of Free Enterprise on that fateful night. We pray for you all, that God will give you peace, comfort, and hope in the victory over death accomplished by the cross and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Photo: Jon Eddolls