Wullu's blog

Well it is a couple days after the funeral. Proud to say that MARLANT did it all up right for John and his family. Rear Admiral McFadden, the Base commander, Fleet Chief, Base Chief, two former COs. Full burial party to include an honour guard, piper and bugler. Then there was his friends (not all of course, sailing scheds and the weather...) from the last 17 years. I would guess around 70 sailors all told. Not bad for a short notice funeral in the boondocks during an ice storm.

The eulogies where at the same time heartfelt and funny, reflecting the man they were about. Thankfully the piper did not play Amazing Grace. It is the one song on the pipes guarenteed to have me blubering like an idiot. Three of my fellow, grizzled and jaded sailors said the same thing to me. I don't think I have ever been to a funeral at an Anglican church before. The liturgy was very reminicent of a Catholic funeral. I guess that is to be expected.

Like so many of the funerals I have been to one thing always seems to stand out as the positive memory. This time it was a lady asking me if it would be ok to get some of the expended brass from the three volleys. Anyone who knows anything about the Forces and the Navy in particular, know that they are just nuts about live rounds and expended casings. I asked her what it was for and she responded that they planned to make little reminders for the members of John's Cub Scout troop with them. I went to the Chief running things, explained what it was for and next thing I know there we are policing up the brass for her. After handing over a few casings from the blanks, four of us, within a second of each other said the exact same thing, "What a great idea". Word for word.