Members of the Royal Navy carry the coffin of one of their comrades at RAF Brize Norton
Posted on 03/29/2003 5:24:38 PM PST by MadIvan
Slowly, sombrely, the pallbearers walked the length of the tarmac. A light breeze caught the edge of a Union flag, draped over the walnut coffin of one of 10 dead British servicemen.
|
Members of the Royal Navy carry the coffin of one of their comrades at RAF Brize Norton |
At RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, 10 coffins were carried from a C17 cargo aircraft - a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and a forewarning of the uncertain struggle ahead.
The first eight coffins contained the bodies of the British servicemen who died when a US helicopter they were aboard crashed. The final two held the bodies of RAF pilots who were killed last week when their Tornado was hit near the Kuwaiti border by a US Patriot missile.
Voicing a sentiment felt by many, Rhys and Pat Williams insisted that their son, Flt Lt David Rhys Williams, had "died doing the job he loved".
Yesterday, the servicemen who died doing the job they loved were brought home. In Iraq, their colleagues continued to do their duty.
As the big military aircraft came to a standstill at Brize Norton, its rear cargo doors opened. Three senior chaplains from the Armed Forces were led across to the aircraft, their red and white robes fluttering in the breeze.
As each coffin was taken to a waiting hearse, Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, gave a small bow.
The Duke of York and several senior military officials also attended the repatriation ceremony. They saluted as the coffins were carried out, one by one.
The first to emerge, borne aloft by a party of six from HMS Collingwood near Portsmouth, was Royal Navy mechanic Ian Seymour, 28, a father of one.
"He really wanted his green beret," said his father-in-law earlier in the week. "It was his dream job."
The coffins of Major Jason Ward, 34, Capt Philip Guy, 29, and WO2 Mark Stratford, 39, followed, as the band continued to play.
Capt Guy, from the Plymouth-based 3 Commando Brigade, came from a farming family in the Yorkshire Dales and had served in Bosnia and Afghanistan. He is survived by a wife, who is expecting a baby in two months. His parents, Stuart and Anne Guy, said their son would be deeply missed by everyone and was "a brave and courageous soldier".
The three chaplains of each of the Armed Services continued with their prayers - heads bowed, hands clasped together.
The next coffins brought by the pallbearers held father-of-three Sgt John Cecil, and Marine Sholto Hedenskog, 26, both from the Royal Marines. They were followed by the coffins of Sgt Les Hehir, 34, and Lance Bombardier Llywelyn Evans, 24, both from the Royal Artillery.
The final two contained the bodies of Flt Lt Williams, 35, and Flt Lt Kevin Main, 37.
Like so many of his comrades, Flt Lt Main had always wanted to join the Armed Forces. "He had a dream to fly in the Dambusters squadron and he achieved it," said his father Colin. "Nothing can replace him."
As the ceremony reached its conclusion and the band fell silent, a hearse's low engine could be heard in the distance. The servicemen's families drifted away, wiping tears from their eyes, while military officials steeled themselves for the battles that have yet to be fought. The fallen men had made the ultimate sacrifice. They are unlikely to be the last to do so.
Regards, Ivan
In memoriam
A grateful American extends his feeble sympathies.
You have said it best.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.