REMEMBRANCE Day will have an extra special meaning at a ceremony in East Cleveland this weekend.

As well as paying tribute to war dead, a group of people will gather to honour the memory of Norwegian sailors who lost their lives in a tragedy 100 years ago.

For the first time, a headstone marks the grave of six seamen who went down with the Erato on November 14, 1901. The Sunderland-built barque foundered in heavy seas off the coast at Skinningrove.

On Sunday, descendants of the sole survivor will join civic dignitaries from Cleveland and Norway, coastguard representatives and members of the community as a plaque is unveiled at Skinningrove and the headstone dedicated in Brotton churchyard.

The occasion is the result of tireless work by Mr Christian Jensen, whose great-grandfather was one of those lost. He arrived in Brotton from Norway on Monday to join the local rector, the Rev Bruce Harrison, in organising the ceremony.

Mr Jensen, who is 65, has spent the past few years trying to discover where the crew were buried. Ten people were on board the Erato. One survived; three were lost at sea and the rest were buried.

The Bishop of Whitby, the Rt Rev Robert Ladds, is to officiate at an anniversary service.

Mr Harrison helped Mr Jensen locate the burial place. "We realised the men were buried at Brotton, but there was no headstone, so now we have put one up," he said.

The memorial, engraved with an image of the Erato, was paid for by the ship's owners.

At noon on Sunday, a plaque will be unveiled at the Skinningrove coastguard station to mark the rescue by Mr Jesse Simmonds of 18-year-old Axel Axelson. Coastguards will provide lunch for the visitors.

At 2pm, there is a service at Brotton parish church, followed by a procession to the cemetery for dedication of the headstone.

Last night and today, about 30 people were arriving from Norway, including a mayor, and four from the USA. Continued on page 3