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From: "Barb Baker" <>
Subject: [CUL] WCT, Wednesday, May 29, 1895
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2003 12:30:22 -0500


MILITARY FUNERAL AT
EGREMONT.

On Sunday afternoon the remains of James Irving, a young man 18 years of age, who resided with his parents in Church Street, Egremont, and who succumbed to an attack of inflamation,result of cold, were interred in the Egremont cemetery, the funeral being one of the largest ever witnessed in the town. The deceased, who was private in the ranks of the Egremont Rifle Volunteers, was buried with military honours. There was a good attendance of the members of the corps, there being present four sergeants and 64 rank and file under the command of Drill-Instructor Brannigan. Previous to leaving the residence, the band of the corps, under the conductorship of Bandmaster Sergt. W. Leece played the hymn "Thy will be done" Preceeding the coffin (which was borne shoulder high by a number of young volunteers, over which was the Union Jack, the deceased's helmet and belt, and a number of wreaths, marched a section of the Volunteer corps with arms reversed.

Immediately after the remains followed the bereaved parents and other mourners, whilst the rear was brought up by the band and another section of volunteers. Before leaving the chapel in the cemetery, the Rev. W.Thwaites, who conducted the funeral service said "I would like to add a few words touching this sad occasion. When called upon to follow to their last resting place our dead friends whose years have attained the three score and ten we felt after that we required strength from God to bear it. But when, as in the present case, the allotted years are so far from being attained, we feel that more strength and more grace are required to bow with submission to the inscrutable wisdom of Almighty God, and to join with truth in the words we have just uttered, 'The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord' Death is no mere accident to be forgotten as soon as it is over, but it is a voice speaking to us all, and to-day it speaks to the young espec!
ially. It speaks with an authority which we must not disregard. It speaks with a voice which, if we do not listen to, we cannot estimate the loss. May God give us right views on these most important matters."

At the conclusion of the service at the graveside three volleys were fired by a squad of the corps under the command of Sergt. Bosward.

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Barb, Ontario, Canada.


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