§ 79. Sir PHILIP RICHARDSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there is any fund at the disposal of the Naval authorities to provide service funerals for deceased veteran officers who have served their country in the Crimean and other wars; and whether, if there are no such funds, gun carriages can be provided for such purposes provided that the expenses incurred are paid by others?
§ Captain Viscount CURZON (for Mr. DAVIDSON)It is customary for the Commanders-in-Chief at the home ports to arrange for a gun carriage and bugler and a party obtained by volunteering to provide a service funeral for retired officers and naval pensioners being buried within the precincts of the home ports. Outside naval ports the privilege of a funeral at. the State expense is, for financial reasons, restricted to cases of retired officers who have held high command. The sending of either gun carriages or a funeral party to be repaid by the relatives of the deceased has in the past given rise to difficulties, and is accordingly not permitted by the Regulations. There is, of course, no objection to a coffin of a deceased naval officer or seaman being draped with a Union Jack.