Military Honours at a funeral

Jan 16
For many men in their 80s, National Service in the British armed forces was compulsory. It is not uncommon for their experiences in the Armed Forces to be a significant milestone in their life. 

For others, male or female, who may have voluntarily served in the British Armed Forces even for a minimum term of 3-5 years, their experiences are often transformational and are highly valued. 

Consequently, it can be a frequent request by families to have some sort of military honours at that person's funeral service. 

Here we will look at what a funeral celebrant could expect if a family makes this request. 
If the deceased was a serving member of the Armed Forces when they died, serving personnel are likely to be involved. In these situations, Military Chaplains are also often employed to officiate the funeral service.  In rare occasions however, the family may instead request for a local independent funeral celebrant. 

In contrast,  it is more common for independent celebrants to officiate the funerals of persons who have died after they have been discharged from the Armed Forces. In these more common situations,  it is the Royal British Legion who will support the family in providing military honours.

It is not expected that the funeral celebrant organises any thing with the Royal British Legion, instead, the Funeral Director will support and advise the family to make arrangements.

This normally involves contacting local branches of the Royal British Legion. Some sections of the Armed Forces and some large regiments have their own Royal British Legion groups and so which volunteers come to support the funeral can very greatly.

Here is a list of the various elements Royal British Legion volunteers may offer::
  • Coffin or Pall Bearers
  • A Flag (Union Flag or Regiment Flag) as a coffin drape (Pall)
  • Standard or Flag holders
  • A Bugler (to sound The Last Post)
  • In Scotland, a Piper (to play Dark Island)


It is important to note that all these services are volunteered by branches of the Royal British Legion and so as a result, their provision is dependent on capacity which may vary with illness, holidays and geography.

Requests are also dependent upon what the family want and their own capacity to organise it. There are often nationally recorded instances of ex-servicemen who have died alone and without family or close friends to arrange military honours. As you can imagine, when situations like this are reported in the media, very quickly many ex-servicemen swiftly volunteer to support in the absence of family. 

It is important for an independent funeral celebrant to be aware of the options available and also to be very flexible as they may not know what Royal British Legion volunteers they have until the 30 minutes before the funeral actually starts. 

How do military honours affect a funeral service?

As celebrant, as soon as you arrive at the funeral chapel (normally 30 minutes before the service starts) it is important to identify the volunteers from the Royal British Legion  (they will be the ones in uniform!) Introduce yourself to them and identify who amongst them has been nominated as the person in charge. Ask them what they would like to do in the service. They will then tell you want they are wanting to do, and what ques they would like you to give them. 

This person may previously had a senior military rank. They may decide to shout commands or attention and ease to the Flag bearers and veterans participating in the service. 
 
If there are Royal British Legion volunteers to be coffin bearers, they will perform this duty in the same way that any family member or employed coffin bearer.... under the supervision and instruction of the Funeral Director or conductor on the day. It is my experience however, that many Veteran volunteers are quite old and not really fit enough to carry a large coffin and so sensibly, they may alternatively request to march in front of the coffin or to stand as a guard of honour for the coffin to pass as they enter the chapel. 

If there is a flag or standard bearer, it is normal for this person or persons to lead the coffin. Consequently, whereas normally as celebrant, you might ordinarily lead the coffin. When there are flag bearers, you either walk between them and the coffin or alternatively immediately after the coffin but before the family. 

Depending on the chapel, its layout, the number of mourners and the age/fitness of the flag bearers, they will often choose to stand at the front of the chapel with their standards and flags throughout the funeral service. 

When, as celebrant, you welcome everyone at the start of the funeral service, it is important to acknowledge and also welcome the volunteers from the Royal British Legion. If you are having the last post or a piper is to play at the Committal, it is important to outline this briefly in the introduction so people know what to expect. This might also be listed on printed the Order of Service.

When it comes to the Committal the family may request a sounding of the Last Post or a Piper to play. In which case, once everyone is standing for the words of the Committal, the celebrant should say their words of committal followed by these words of exhortation which is the signal for the Standard or Flag bearers to lower their flags: 

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them".

If there is a bugler or piper, they will then start playing. 
If there is no musician, you can always have a recording of a bugler sounding The Last Post or a piper playing an excerpt of The Dark Island. 
There is then normally a minute's silence.
With a bugler, The Reveille is then played which is the signal for the Standards or Flags to be lifted back vertically. 
You then move onto the closing words. 

At the end of the funeral service which is ended in the usual way, the flag bearers will exit first followed by the celebrant, followed by the family in the usual way. 

It is a great honour to officiate a funeral service with military honours. Each one can be very different and it is important to be flexible and responsive to the needs and demands of the Royal British Legion volunteers. Funerals with military honours are very moving and very proud occasions. Expect them to affect you emotionally in ways that others funerals may not. If you are in doubt at any time, make sure you communicate early and clearly with the funeral director. If you would rather not do a funeral service with military honours, it is important the FD knows this early days so they can arrange with dignity an alternative funeral celebrant. 
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