FORMER servicemen came together to remember a maritime disaster off the Dorset coast almost 70 years ago.

Twenty nine sailors, many of whom were young men, drowned when a boat carrying them back to the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious sank in a storm in Portland Harbour.

The Portland branch of the Royal Naval Association and the HMS ilustrious Association ensures those lost are remembered with a ceremony around the anniversary of the disaster.

The carrier's 'liberty boat' had taken some of the crew into Weymouth for some shore leave on the day of the tragedy.

Returning at 10pm on Sunday, October 17 1948, the boat left Weymouth Pier carrying 50 men.

The weather worsened as the boat passed through the northern entrance of the Portland Harbour breakwater, and those on board began to bail out the water with anything that came to hand.

Regrettably, all their efforts were in vain and the liberty boat foundered and sank some 50 metres from Illustrious.

Rescue boats were immediately launched and there were tales if incredible bravery from the night. Despite this, 29 of the 50 on board were lost; their average age was 23. Some of these men are buried in the Naval Cemetery on Portland while others were returned to their home towns.

A Portland stone memorial was unveiled at Osprey Quay in 2010 by the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope. Commemorating those lost in the tragedy, it was was provided by the efforts of HMS Illustrious Association through the generous donations of association members and other interested people.

Each year since the memorial unveiling, a ceremony has been held on a Saturday as close to the anniversary date as possible, to remember the brave sailors.

Spokesman for the Portland branch of the Royal Naval Association Maureen Sherren said: "In addition, we now also remember the founder and instigator of the memorial, ex-chairman of HMS Illustrious Association, John Ellis, who sadly died suddenly in November 2013.

"We also remember Jack Cranny, the local historian, who died in 2016, who did so much to help John Ellis with the memorial project.

"We will ensure members of our branch and other associations will continue to support this ceremony each year in the memory of those lost shipmates."