South Canterbury seafarers are casting the net wide to find descendants of branch members.
The 70th Seafarer’s Service will be held at the Seafarers’ Monument in Perth St on Sunday, October 19.
Organisers are hoping former members, descendants and widows of the ex-Royal Navalmen’s Association South Canterbury branch members would come out of the woodwork.
Organiser Wayne Gaby said the service — which also acknowledges October 21 as Trafalgar Day — would include a wreath-laying ceremony and ‘‘a short march to [St Mary’s] church’’ where a service would be held.
Mr Gaby said he envisioned descendants would march alongside them with their ancestor’s medals.
He hoped those marching on behalf of grandparents would ‘‘get a kick out of it’’.
‘‘Why would you not have a sense of pride?’’
He said they could make it a regular thing.
Committee members had been hunting for some time, but with daughters of the men getting married and changing their surnames, organisers had lost the trail in some cases.
The first Seafarers Service took place in 1955, and — as far as he was aware — the South Canterbury branch was the only branch in New Zealand to still hold a service.
Mr Gaby said organisers never knew how many people would actually march on the day, with last minute factors cropping up.
He said they could get ‘‘crook’’ or get shy.
Traditionally the region’s mayors participated in the day, but as local body elections were held the week before this year’s service, he was unsure who might be there.
‘‘We’re going to wing it a bit.’’
People interested in checking if their ancestors were on the list of the region’s ex-navalmen can call Mr Gaby on 027-688-4226 or Bill Schmidt on 027-688-5873.
