HUNDREDS gathered at Portland Marina for a moving ceremony to commemorate 29 sailors who died in one of the worst peacetime naval tragedies in living history.

The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, unveiled a memorial stone to the seamen who lost their lives when a liberty boat travelling to HMS Illustrious sank in a gale in Portland Harbour in 1948.

Naval veterans and onlookers wept during yesterday’s ceremony as the Royal Marine band played and helicopters and aeroplanes flew by to mark the occasion.

Among those paying their respects was Illustrious air mechanic John Lock, who narrowly escaped being on board the liberty boat when it sank after staying ashore.

Mr Lock, 81, of Southampton said: “I should have been on board that boat but I had stayed at an inn on the island.

“It was a very good ceremony but very cold.

“I recognised a few of the old boys and it was very nice to have given something back to those who died.”

Former Illustrious seaman Alf Lowe, 79, travelled all the way from New Zealand to take part in the ceremony.

Mr Lowe, then aged only 17, was on board the boat as it sank and was later awarded the George Cross for trying to save the life of a midshipman.

He said: “When the boat overturned I was trapped underneath it.

“You don’t forget something like that, it stays with you for the rest of your life.

“It was a fitting ceremony for those men and has been well-documented over the years.”

After the memorial service, Admiral Stanhope said: “It was a fitting memorial for the 29 lives that were lost.

“It was certainly the most tragic peacetime event to have happened in living naval history.”

The Chaplain of the Fleet, The Venerable John Green, added: “I think it says a lot about the families of the crewmen that for all these years their memories have been kept alive.

“I can think of few other communities who would want to erect a memorial to this tragedy after so long.

“The community does not just extend to the people who were on board the Illustrious, it extends throughout the generations.”

During the memorial service, naval Lynx helicopters and RAF planes flew by flying flags in tribute as the names of the sailors who died were read out.

The Royal Marine marching band played I Vow To Thee My Country and The Last Post and wreaths were laid at the newly unveiled memorial stone.

As well as naval veterans and onlookers, the ceremony was attended by Weymouth and Portland mayor Paul Kimber and Portland mayor David Thurston among other dignitaries.