Funeral Service for Private Lewis Curtis

Transcription

1 Funeral Service for Private Lewis Curtis 1000hrs Wednesday, 3rd October 2012 Oosterbeek Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, Netherlands Killed in Action 2nd October th Battalion The Wiltshire Regiment

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4 Historical Introduction In September 1944, the 4th and 5th Battalions of The Wiltshire Regiment took part in Operation Market Garden, the Allied drive to capture a series of bridges over key rivers in Holland to allow an advance over the Rhine and into the industrial heartland of Germany. After the airborne landings on 17 September, the 5th Battalion was ordered forward to Nijmegen and moved up the captured road, known as the Corridor, to the city. On 27th September the 5th Battalion arrived in the area north of Elst to relieve The Duke of Cornwall s Light Infantry. The terrain was flat, sparsely populated and criss-crossed with ditches and canals. B Company took up a defensive position at De Laar Farm, just west of a crossing over the north-south Nijmegen-Arnhem railway line, held by D Company. The first three days were quiet, with occasional shelling and sightings of German troops to the north and east. But on Sunday 1st October the artillery barrage began in earnest, and the battalion had to call in mortar and artillery fire to fend off an attack by German tanks and infantry. The German forces withdrew to regroup, and at 03:30hrs on the morning of Monday, 2nd October attacked again in earnest. D company s position was hit hardest, and two-thirds of its men were forced to withdraw to De Laar Farm. The Germans attacked the farm with tanks and artillery. In the ensuing fighting B and D Companies lost about half their men killed or injured, among them Pte Lewis Curtis of B Company. The fighting continued into the next day, when the 5th was relieved by the 4th Battalion. Pte Curtis was buried in a field grave at De Laar Farm, but grave markers were washed away when German military engineers blew up a dyke to flood the area, leaving his resting place unmarked. During excavations when the area was being cleared to make way for a housing estate, the Netherlands Army Recovery and Identification Unit were able to identify Pte Curtis remains and preserve them for re-interment.

5 WELCOME The Reverend Mike Thomason CF Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and I am the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. John We meet in the name of Jesus Christ, who died and was raised to the glory of God the Father. Grace and mercy be with you. We are gathered this day to glorify God who sustains the world; to remember with thanksgiving our brother Private Lewis Curtis who lived and died in the service of our country; and to ask for God s help and blessing that we may be worthy of their sacrifice each day of our life; and in so doing, to remember. To remember, to honour, to learn.

6 BIDDING PRAYER The Reverend Mike Thomason CF Let us recall the presence of God, the Father of all mankind, maker and sustainer of all that is, whose purposes are good, whose love is never withheld and whose mercy never passes away. We call to mind His faithfulness in times of darkness and despair. We remember before Him our brother Private Lewis Curtis and all who served in the campaigns of the Second World War, particularly in The Wiltshire Regiment, who counted the service of others greater than service of self, many of whom gave their lives. And let us offer ourselves in His service that His will may be done on earth as it is in heaven, and that His kingdom of justice and peace be established everywhere. (Silence) O God, who makes wars to cease, and powerfully defends those who put their trust in you; assist your servants who implore your mercy, that we may praise you with ceaseless thanksgiving; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen

7 HYMN On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The emblem of suffering and shame; And I love that old cross where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain. Refrain So I ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown. O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world, Has a wondrous attraction for me; For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above To bear it to dark Calvary. Refrain In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see, For twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me. Refrain To the old rugged cross I will ever be true; Its shame and reproach gladly bear; Then He ll call me some day to my home far away, Where His glory forever I ll share. Refrain

8 PSALM 23 - THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness, for His name s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

9 BIBLE READING Lieutenant Colonel C Collins, Commanding Officer, 5th Battalion The Rifles. The Revelation of John Chapter 21 verses 1-7 I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; They will be his peoples, And God himself will be with them; He will wipe every tear from their eyes. death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. And the one who was seated on the throne said, See, I am making all things new. Also he said, Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true. Then he said to me, It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

10 ADDRESS The Reverend Mike Thomason CF HYMN Abide with me; fast falls the eventide: The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life s little day; Earth s joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me. I need thy presence every passing hour; What but thy grace can foil the tempter s power? Who like thyself my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me. I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies: Heaven s morning breaks, and earth s vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

11 COFFIN IS UNDRESSED INTERMENT We have entrusted Lewis to God s eternal keeping. We now commit his earthly remains to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen Rest eternal grant to Lewis, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him. Amen In the earth, we give him a final place to rest. In our memories, we will not forget him. In the eternal love and mercy of God he will be at peace. Amen. THE FIRING PARTY FIRES THE SALUTE THE LAST POST SILENCE THE REVEILLE THE EXHORTATION Warrant Officer Class One Peter Burney, RSM 5th Battalion The Rifles 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. We will remember them That they may be conformed to His glorious body, Who died, was buried, and rose again for us. To Him be glory for ever. Amen

12 THE WREATH-LAYING PRAYERS The Reverend Mike Thomason CF Ever-living God we remember those whom you have gathered from the storm of war into the peace of your presence; may that same peace calm our fears, bring justice to all peoples and establish harmony among the nations, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Almighty God, protect all who serve in the Forces of the Queen; strengthen us in danger and temptation; give us courage and loyalty, that we may remain true to the highest traditions of our profession; and keep us steadfast when faced with the perils of action in war; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Almighty God, who has revealed your only Son as the resurrection and the life: raise us, we pray, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that, when we depart from this life, we may rest in him, as we hope our brother Lewis does, and at the last may receive the blessing: Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord. Grant this, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ, our mediator and redeemer. Amen

13 Let us pray for the establishment of God s kingdom of righteousness and peace: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory For ever and ever. Amen The Collect of The Wiltshire Regiment The Reverend Mike Thomason CF O God, who hast taught us that we are members one of another, and that the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee, grant to us, thy servants of the Wiltshire Regiment, that, as our brotherhood has often been proved in time of battle, so at all times and in all places we may give honour to whom honour is due and bear one another s burdens. For the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

14 THE NATIONAL ANTHEMS God save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen. Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us: God save the Queen. Wilhelmus van Nassouwe Ben ik van Duitsen bloed, Den vaderland getrouwe Blijf ik tot in den dood; Een Prinse van Oranje Ben ik, vrij onverveerd, Den Koning van Hispanjen Heb ik altijd geëerd.

15 KOHIMA EPITAPH When you go home tell them of us and say: For your tomorrow, we gave our today. THE DISMISSAL The Reverend Mike Thomason CF Support us, O Lord, all the day long of this troublous life, until the shadows lengthen and the evening falls, the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then, Lord, in Your mercy grant us a safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace at the last; through Christ our Lord. And the blessing of God Almighty, The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you and all those you love and for whom you pray, this day and always, Amen.

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