Information kindly received from Tony Sullivan......
[Vintage Port] Atlantic Conveyor Memorial
After one of the evening functions at the recent Christchurch reunion, several of us "stayers" were sitting around a nightcap swinging the lamp when Graham Botterill started talking about the loss of Atlantic Conveyor. I mentionned this discussion to a friend who recently emigrated from the Falklands to New Zealand. She was about ten years old at time of the conflict. She has since sent me the attached photos of the Memorial on the Islands, taken by her brother who is still resident in the Falklands. Incidentally, a year or two after the conflict she acquired a horse which she promptly named "Atlantic Conveyor".
The propellor is actually from HMS Protector, a patrol boat which later served on the Falklands station.
In 2005 I was present at the unveiling of the Merchant Navy Falklands Memorial at Tower Hill in London where I laid a wreath in honour of Ernie Vickers and have done every year since. I never knew Ernie personally, but we both shipped out of Middlesbrough Shipping Federation at the time situated in the Dundas Arcade at Middlesbrough. When the war started I was on a ship laid up in Australia's Sydney Harbour awaiting a cargo of coal for Japan, and was in Japan when the Argentineans surrendered. When I came home on leave I heard the story of the loss of the Atlantic Conveyor and Ernie's death and I never ever forgot his name. Ernie Vickers was born Middlesbrough 1924 and before he went to sea he had been a professional Welterweight boxer and at the height of his career in the 50's & 60's took him to the Northern Area Welterwight Championship. After 57 professional fights, his record was: Won 38, lost 19, drew
