Representatives of the St John Emergency Ambulance Service laid a wreath at the annual Prosperity Memorial Service at L’Eree at the weekend.

The service is organised by the Guernsey Association of Royal Navy & Royal Marines and the Guernsey Merchant Navy Association and remembers the crew of the MV Prosperity which ran aground off the west coast in 1974 and all those lost in Bailiwick waters.

The MV Prosperity sank on the night of 16 January 1974 when her engine failed in stormy weather and she was driven onto La Conchée Reef. All eighteen crewmen died. The cargo of timber was found spread along Guernsey’s West Coast.

Senior Officer Dean de la Mare placed the wreath on the granite memorial near Lihou Island on Saturday morning. He was accompanied by Emergency Medical Technician Paul Philips who paraded the St John Ambulance & Rescue standard. Wreaths were also laid by representatives of other organisations including the RNLI.

The service used to be held in November, but was moved to September to coincide with Merchant Navy Day which is on 3rd September or the nearest Sunday.