Memories

Sad day today as we gathered at the picturesque parish church in Durrington, Wiltshire.
Yes, it was a bright, warm summer day, but the purpose of being there to scatter ashes of my wife’s eldest brother, did introduce an air of sadness to the return to the village where she and her brothers and sisters were brought up.
Even so, these occasions are also a celebration of life, and it provided the opportunity for the family and friends now living in distant parts to get together.
The burying of the ashes was a solemn moment, and brought a tear to more than one eye among those gathered.
Her brother, John Rawlins, a retired Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy aviation Commander, died in January and his son hit on the idea that there should be three ceremonies like this — one in Australia where he lived, along with his family, another at this church in Durrington where his parents were buried, and a third in the next few days in Cornwall, where he once commanded the Royal Navy air station.  Durrington village lies almost in the shadow of Boscombe Down, where he first developed his passion for flying.

Yet while emotions inevitably ran high, there was also joy for the wider family and friends at rekindling their relationships and friendships. We talked about it and those my wife had met for the first time for many years, for the rest of the day.