Crossed The Bar
Crossing the Bar
‘Crossing the Bar’ is a term generally used by the military/ex-military and more specifically the Royal Navy to politely inform and advise of a person that has died.
The term is taken from a poem by Lord Alfred Tennyson as meaning to cross the “sandbar” between the tide or river of life, with its outgoing “flood,” and the ocean that lies beyond death, the “boundless deep,” to which we return. The “Pilot” being God.
He wrote the poem after a serious illness while at sea, crossing the Solent from Aldworth to Farringford on the Isle of Wight.
Sunset and evening star
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For though from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.
Crossed the Bar
Details of funeral arrangements, when known, will be promulgated via the RNWA website providing sufficient notification has been received from the respective family or source of confirmation of death.
Richard A Vigar
Patricia Haselden
Richard Coupe
David Buss
Gladys Harding
Sydney Richard Eddy
Pat J McCarthy
Gerald R Jarvis BEM
Denis Bartlett BEM
Janet Vockins
Peter F Wead
John Ballinger of Stroud
Mary McIntyre of Buckie
Ken Baish of Esther
George Mytom-Hart BEM
Richard W. Lawrence
John Roxburgh
Tom Bardsley
John Garner of
John Hargraves
Frank Cooper
Gordon Wilkinson (aka Peters)
Bryan Hayter of Melksham
David Abdy of Pudsey
Brian Murphy of Kent
Brian Coghlan
Brian Dolling
John Cotter
Marjorie A G Woods
Bernard (Jim) Dimmock
Peter Easton
Gordon Skeens
Knud Warren Nielsen
Gordon Kershaw
Frank Hookham
Roland Carter
Peter Robilliard
Ralph (Dickie) Henderson
Douglas Jewell
Sir John Miles Huntington-Whiteley VRD
David McQuitty
Bob Muir
Grahame Boyett
Stella A. Brown QSM
Mervyn A Mortimore MVO
John Kinghorne
Alan Leon Hawken
Douglas Macaulay
Gerald Beard
Don McGeorge Snr.
Howard Grass
Albert John Parsons
Kenneth Dunstan
Alan Price
Geoff Luton
Michael Colborne LVO
George Hemmings
Geoffrey Straw MBE
Fred Davenport
Peter Grocott
Pat Brannen
Henry Marchant
Joseph Roe
Paul Rowe
Robert ‘Ben’ Lyon
JE Baker BEM
Frank Curran
Joe Dolman BEM
David Doole
Dennis Le Marquand
Alan Liddel
Crossing The Bar Information
FUNERALS
White Ensigns
The Association of Royal Naval Officers (ARNO) HQ has White Ensigns suitable for ceremonial occasions including funerals. These can be provided free (except for P & P) to ARNO members and for a nominal £10 charge to non-members subject to a refundable £50 deposit.
Committal of Ashes
Portsmouth, Devonport and Clyde Naval Bases provide this service, subject to weather conditions, on a regular basis. These are provided free of charge with the exception of casks which must also be biodegradable. A limited number of family/friends are also able to attend.
Contact telephone numbers are: –
Portsmouth 0239 2723 000
Devonport 0175 2555 427
Clyde 0143 6674 321 x 6150
Bugler
Any veteran, who has served for 22 years or has a campaign medal, irrespective of rank, is entitled to the services of a bugler, free of charge, at their funeral. This is subject to operational commitments/availability.
Queries should be directed in the first instance to: –
NAVYRMBAND-HQBSRMAENGCOORD@mod.uk
Phone: 0300 169 6605.
RNWA Standard
The RNWA Standard can be made available for members funerals subject to: –
- The family accepting the cost of transporting the standard to their home and return including insurance or arranging for its personal collection and return from the RNWA President.
- The family arranging a standard bearer using local organisations e.g., RNA/British Legion
- Subject to location and availability, it might be possible if local to the Portsmouth area for a RNWA Committee or member to be made available to act as standard bearer subject to request via the RNWA President and voluntary member availability.
Veterans Bereavement Support Services
The Veterans Bereavement Support Service is a bespoke FREE service for families needing assistance and support with bereavement including advice on funeral care 365 days a year from their office in Romsey. Further information is available on their website www.veteranbereavementsupport.com , or email info@veteransbereavementsupport.co.uk or call 07885 498462.