Burial Service
BURIAL SERVICE FOR RAAF ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
The following Burial Service Ritual has been approved by the Queensland Division Executive for use, where desired by the relatives, at the funeral of a RAAF Association member. Remember, it is up to you, the member, to inform your relatives, the funeral director or leave it in your Will that you desire a RAAF Funeral Service.
Its use is to be approved, on each occasion, by the State President or a Branch President and the Ritual will be conducted by the approving President or an Association member nominated by the President. The Officiating Officer will act as Leader of the party of Association members present at the Burial and will act in liaison between the relatives, the Clergyman and the Association Party. Normally the casket will be covered by the Australian Flag, but where desired by relatives, and if enough notice is provided, the Officiating Officer may arrange for an Association flag to be used. Where the deceased is a former member of the RAAF the RAAF Ensign may be used in lieu of the Australian Flag.
Where a Service is held in a Church or Chapel the Association party will leave it in sufficient time to form a guard for the casket from the door to the hearse.
At the cemetery or crematorium, the Association Party will keep together. The Association Burial Ritual will be said by the Officiating Officer, by arrangement with the relatives and the clergyman, during the committal at the grave or at the crematorium. There, the Officiating Officer, standing near the clergyman, will say:
“We of the Royal Australian Air Force Association are here today to mourn the passing of our comrade (………………..), to join in sympathy with his/her family and to show our gratitude for his/her life.”
If no other eulogy is given say the following:
(………………..) was born at: ( here follows a summary of the deceased's life.)
“Particularly we, his/her fellow members of the RAAF Association, remember his/her time with us in service of his/her country and in the RAAF Association.” (here follows a summary of the deceased's service, decorations etc. and of his/her Association membership).
“(…………………..) has now gone before us to join the great company of his/her and our service comrades who have passed before us. For that company, of which (………………) is now one, we say:
Hallowed in Christ be the memory of brave men and women who have died for the freedom of the World. They shall stand before the Throne, an exceeding great array. And in the vast throng shall be found our own well-beloved.
They went with songs to the battle,
They were young, straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow,
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
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.”
All present will then say: “We will remember them”.
The Officiating Officer should continue
“The service of (………………..)’s life is over and the hour has come to rest. We place this poppy in remembrance and observe a minutes silence in his/her memory".
After all ex-service personnel have placed poppies the Officiating Officer will ask those present to stand at attention with bowed heads for one minute, concluding with the words
“Lest we Forget”.
If a bugler is present, the Last Post will then be played and at the conclusion, the Association Party will file past the grave. It is envisaged that the bugler will be used only at the special request of the relatives.
The Association Party will wear Association badges, medals and appropriate clothing.
Same service for Burial & Cremation.
RAAF Ensign
Most Queensland Division branches have a RAAF Ensign specifically for use in burial services of former RAAF members. Where a Division member is not a former member of the RAAF, an Australian National flag may be used to drape the coffin. Please contact the relevant Branch Secretary for details.
Song of the Australian Flying Corps (AFC)
Sourced from the National Library Archives - Digital Collection
Oh, We are the boys of the Flying Corps, Australia's land we defend.
Our planes fly over land and sea, and the war we'll fight to the end.
We've got good planes and pilots too, who chase the Taube through the
blue.
The planes that fly across the sky to defend our country and King.
are built as true as man can do in engine, chassis or wing.
But though they often win unharmed they sometimes tumble beneath
the foe:
so
We'll be there to keep in repair our fine British aeroplanes too.
We'll be there to do our share and patch and mend and blow.
Over the land and over the sea,
bombing the Boche and watching him flee,
Hey! Archibald shoot a bit higher you!
Fritz have a banana?
Send up your Taubes to Tommy and me.
Come along, Cooee!
EAGLES OF AUSTRALIA
Song of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
Music: SQNLDR R Mitchell (retd)MBE LRAM ARCM psm
Words: Frank Cranston & LAC Richard O'Toole
As Eagles of Australia we span from sea to sea.
above our Nation's regions which we strive to keep free.
We guard our country's frontiers through skies of blue or grey,
eternally we keep our watch as we've been shown the way.
Our wings are spread across the land our mighty engines roar,
in freedom's cause we hold our trust and to the stars we soar
From distant sunny coastlines to deserts vast and wide,
the Royal Australian Air Force is flying high with pride.
From snowy mountain ranges to shining coral seas,
we pledge our faith and keep it safe Australia ours to please.
Our wings are spread across the land our mighty engines roar,
in freedom's cause we hold our trust and to the stars we soar
As Eagles of Australia our heritage we tend,
in looking to our future, our country we'll defend,
No force will dare oppose us in striving to keep our vow,
you'll hear our shout of victory above Australia now.
Our wings are spread across the land our mighty engines roar,
in freedom's cause we hold our trust and to the stars we soar
RAAF BASES (in 2007)
Darwin
114 MCRU
HQ 396ECSW
321ECSS
AMS DAR
44WGDET DAR
DFRC NT
JLU-N
13SQN
Pearce
79SQN
44WGDET PEA
CSUPEA
AMS PEA
2FTS
25SQN
Perth
DFRC WA
JLU-W
Tindal
75SQN
322ECSS
BBMF
AMS TDL
44WGDET TDL
Melbourne
JLC-HQ
DFRC VIC
Adelaide
DFRC SA
Richmond
HQALG
AMCC
HQ84WG
33SQN
285SQN
AMTDU
AMCC
HQ86WG
37SQN
386ECSS
CSURIC
AMS RIC
1CCS
3CSH
44WGDET
RIC
ACBAND
ALSPO
22SQN
Fairbairn
34SQN
JIC-TAF
HMAS Harman
28SQN
Canberra
AFHQ
ADFA
ADC
ADFPC-C
DFRC ACT
DMO:ESD,ASSD,ASD
462SQN
Tamworth
ADF BFTS
ADF PSA
Alice Springs
1RSU-ASPDET
Edingburgh
HQ92WG
10SQN
11SQN
292SQN
1RSU
1AFDS
AOSG
HQAOSG
IWWG
IWWGOPS
JEWOSU
87SQN
AIS-AF
TEWO
ASTSQN
ASESQN
ASCEA
AVMED
CSUEDN
AMS EDN
44WGDET EDN
1RTU
MPSPO
ALSLMU
JLU-S
24SQN
Tamworth
ADF BFTS
ADF PSA
Newcastle
DFRC NCT
Nowra
NASPO
44WGDET NWA
Sydney
HQJOC
1JMOVGP
DFRC NSW
DNSDC
Glenbrook / Orchard Hills
HQAC
CSUGBK
EODF
DEOTS
Amberley
HQ82WG
1SQN
6SQN
36SQN
38SQN
HQCSG
CSCC
382ECSS
2AFDS
AMS AMB
HQHSW
44WGDET AMB
HQRTW
RAAFSFS##
green|SRSPO##
23SQN
Townsville
38SQNDETB
323ECSS
1AOSS
44WGDET TVL
HQ395ECSW
CSTS
DFRC NQ
27SQN
Point Cook
RAAFCOL
OTS
RAAF Museum
Butterworth
92WGDETA
324ECSS
Hobart
DFRC TAS
29SQN
Laverton
CSUWIL
HQAFTG
DITC
CENBAND
HSTF
ADFLANGS
DGTA-ADF
AESSO
JLSA
21SQN
East Sale
44WGDET ESL
HQATW
32SQN
CFS
SAN
SATC
TASPO
CSUESL
Wagga Wagga
HQGTW
RAAFSALT
RAAFSTT
SPS
CSUWAG
Williamtown
HQACG
HQ81WG
3SQN
77SQN
2OCU
HQ78WG
76SQN
79SQN
278SQN
FACDU
HQSRG
HQ41WG
3CRU
SACTU
HQ42WG
2SQN
HQ44WG
381ECSS
AMS WLM
44WGDET WLM
TFSPO
GTESPO
ADFWC
26SQN
Oakey Airfield
AASPO
44WGDETOAK
Brisbane
DFRC SQ
Scherger
Woomera
Curtin
Learmonth
LEGEND
Executive
Combat
Training
DMO
CSIG/DPE/ADF/Other
Reserve
Grace before Official Queensland Division Meals
We remember before you Father, all Airmen & Women who have lost their lives in defence of our country during war and in times of relative peace, including those who have passed on recently (the reader of this grace may add names of those who have recently passed on but it is not essential).
May their souls and the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace and rise in glory.
We thank you for those who have prepared this meal.
Accept our thanks, and bless the food we are about to receive, so that not only will our bodies be fed, but also we may caringly reach out to all, especially those Airmen and women who are not well at this time.
We ask this in the name of God,
AMEN
The Ode of Remembrance
The Ode for commemoration services is the famous fourth stanza from For the Fallen, a poem by the English poet and writer Laurence Binyon, which was first published in London's The Times newspaper on 21 September 1914.
This compelling verse, which became the Ode of Remembrance in common usage across the Commonwealth, has been used in association with commemoration services since 1921:
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.
( Audience responds) We will remember them.