Memorial for Portuguese seamen

The fund raising to build a memorial to the Portuguese sailors who saved hundreds of lives during World War II has started.

 The promoter of this initiative, Michael Pease, launched the official site this week (see HERE) and also started to make different contacts with possible donors in order to build the memorial.

The site is in English and Portuguese and you can find it HERE.

Between fishing boats, the merchant marine and the Portuguese navy more than 1500 people were saved in the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

The idea began to take shape when Pease knew about the history of one American B-24 navy aircraft that sank near Faro (South Portugal), and where six of the eleven crewmen were rescued by three fishermen in November 1943 (see HERE).

In this case the idea grew when he realized that the number of rescues included people of different nationalities and from the beginning of this week, there is a website where one can get more information, allowing you also to follow the progression of donations.

Michael, who has requested quotes from several sculptors, says that around 60 thousand Euros will be necessary to deliver the memorial that is already authorized to be installed in a central area of the Algarve capital.

Carlos Guerreiro