I tried to promise myself that I wouldn't cry yesterday, but as soon as we got to Mum and Dad's house and I saw lots of my family and friends outside and all the beautiful flowers I started, but I stopped again quite quickly.
Dad's coffin was draped with the Union Flag, supplied kindly by the British Legion and we all wore poppies, again provided by the British Legion.
The cars arrived and I was okay then until we got to the British Legion and stopped, as they were all standing to attention outside with the flag/standard flying. My brother squeezed my hand and again I calmed down.
I started again when we got to the crematorium and held on tight to DH and BF's hands.
The service was both beautiful and wonderful. Mum and Dad's 'song' played on both our entry and exit. The vicar was a wonderful lady who had Christened one of my neices and one of my nephews. She got down from the pulpit and spoke directly to us all, but mainly straight to my Mum. She made us laugh and cry.
I cried gently on and off throughout but got very upset when the final hymn was played, as it was Dad's favourite and we had had it at our wedding for that very reason.
Also, the British Legion again raised the standard and proclaimed the following (which is used on Rememberance Day):
"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."
Laurence Binyon (1869-1943)
I lost it a little at this point. My Dad would have been so so proud. He served his country in the years following the second world war and was a staunch supporter of the RBL, co-ordinating the Poppy Appeal and acting as Treasurer for his local branch and deserved this tribute so much.
I had also requested We'll Meet Again, by Vera Lynn, (as had a couple of my siblings) as it was Dad's favourite and he used to torture us with it as children and it was played as the curtains came round him. They didn't fully close and I am very glad of this, so I could still see the lovely flowers on his casket as we left.
I am crying as I type this. I am so immeasurable proud of my Dad and will always love him.
As the vicar said yesterday, now is the time for us, his children, to look forwards and to carry on his sense of moral conduct and standards and to keep teaching them to our children.
Thank you all for your support over the past month and a half.
xx