Father Bill Chapman, Hawke's Bay Veterans Padre and a devoted advocate of ensuring their sacrifice is strongly recognised and always remembered, said the losses were tragic, but what was equally tragic was that until only relatively recently their service received no recognition.
Those who survived their merchant war service were not even allowed to become a member of the RSA.
"That has now changed — but it took so very long," he said.
"For so many years there was nothing to remember them."
Father Bill, who served with the Royal New Zealand Navy between 1961 and 1970, and who has been in the priesthood for 38 years, was determined to ensure the loss of life within the merchant navy was not forgotten.
Along with veterans of the merchant navy, the late Don Pye and Jim Blundell, Father Bill strove to put the word out, and since sparking the annual Sunday Remembrance Day services at St George's Memorial Chapel in Crownthorpe back in 2002, he has included the "MN" as one of the four recognised services.
Which is again the way it will be on Sunday, November 10, with an additional strong touch - for the second time in the history of the services there, it will be themed on "remembering the merchant navy".
So he made a call — to long-standing Merchant Navy Association member Dave Bosley, who worked at sea between 1960 and 1972, and who had also become a spirited devotee of ensuring the merchantmen of the war were never forgotten.
Bosley had no hesitation in accepting the opportunity to be the guest speaker at the service, which he has attended regularly since Father Bill established them at the unique and historic chapel.
His late father Sid had served as an engineer with the merchant navy during the war years.
"He served all through it," Bosley said.
"But he never talked about it — I don't know if he may have been on a ship which had been struck, and lost friends ... he never said anything."
Bosley, who proudly wears his father's service medals which he tracked down and acquired about seven years ago, said what the seamen endured was hard to get to grips with.
Some were no more than youngsters of 14 or 15 "on ships getting torpedoed".
The tramp steamers they were aboard during convoy missions were easy prey for submarines, and during his years at sea in more peaceful times Bosley worked alongside fellow merchantmen who were in their 70s.
"They had been through it all."
This experience embedded in him the determination to ensure their service received recognition.
"I am so pleased Bill called and I'm thankful to him for giving me this opportunity to speak — for 20 per cent of the merchant service lost their lives in war."
The service is staged as Sunday Remembrance Day, which evolved out of Armistice Day which is annually commemorated at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when the Armistice between representatives of Germany and the Entente was signed.
He and Father Bill are hoping for another strong turnout.
"And I am hoping people from all the services come along to pay tribute to the merchant navy," Father Bill said.
The service at St George's Memorial Chapel off Matapiro Rd will get under way at 11am and Father Bill asked that those who wished to attend a get-together at the Matapiro Hall afterwards take along a plate for refreshments.
