The life of a seaman who fought the Nazis on board warships and rubbed shoulders with Hollywood stars has been immortalised by his loving niece. Benjamin Sober fought for his country in the Second World War as a gunner and then had a career change as a cabin steward on board some of the country's most luxurious liners. So to honour his memory, Sandra Moran commissioned a recently-completed bench with commemorate plaque in Mayflower Park - a stone's throw from where he would go to work.
READ MORE: 'Why here?' - Resident baffled by council's decision to install bench on a bend Sandra Moran, 66, and bench she commissioned for her late uncle at Mayflower Park (Image: Provided) The 68-year-old said: “They did such a good job with it. "It’s a lovely bench and I was so happy to see my uncle being honoured in that way. "I did something to honour his memory because he was so good to me.
” Although he grew up in East London, Benjamin joined the Merchant Navy at 17 before fighting for his country against fascism in World War II. Sandra - the only daughter of his younger sister - said he 'dodged death many times and was lucky to survive'. Benjamin Sober as a younger man (Image: UGC) After the war was over, he traded in ship guns for a steward's suit and a career in the cruising industry.
Mum-of-three Sandra recalled that she visited Mayflower Park numerous times as a child while the cruise liners her late uncle worked on were docked in the city. The former civil servant said: “I c.