# Question about naval sea burials



## Scoobie Newbie (3 Sep 2004)

My father served in the navy in the 50's and was asking me if the navy still provided the service of taking members ashes out to sea and spreading them.  Any help here would be appreciated.


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## Michael OLeary (3 Sep 2004)

I believe they still do, though only if a ship happens to be going out of harbour for duty requirements. You may want to try contacting Veterans Affairs through a local Legion, they may have good info on who to coordinate a request through.


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## Sundborg (3 Sep 2004)

I'm sure they still do, but very very rarely.


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## Spr.Earl (3 Sep 2004)

Here in B.C. the BC Ferries if notified (mainly the smaller ferries) will stop the ferry mid run for a family to spread the ashes.

A two funny stories on that note.

I was working on the Bowen Island Ferry both times and the first one was; We stopped and I came up from down below and stood with other crew members with the elderly Lady while a short prayer was said and at the end of it she opened the urn and went to spread the ashes and right then a gust of wind came along a covered us all in the old guy,theres us covered in this gray dust and the elderly Lady got a face full and was spluttering but when she saw us started to apologise but we all had a good laff even the elderly Lady.She saying "Trust him!" ;D


The other was the same we are stopped and the elderly Lady (again,always women doing this) but this time she throws the box with the Urn in over the side expecting it to sink when it didn't old Niagara Falls started !! 
As we fired up again and sailed away there was this box of ashes floating away with the tide in Howe Sound. 
But I must say we did our best to run it over on later sailings,which I think did happen in the end as the Old Man promised he would make sure it sank. 

 : :

Yup both are true stories about Burial at Sea.


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## Ex-Dragoon (4 Sep 2004)

Actually we do a lot of sea burials, although I am not sure who you would see. Maybe talk to a chaplain?


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## Scoobie Newbie (4 Sep 2004)

Ex-Dragoon I will do that.  Could you maybe talk to some higher ups on your end to see what needs to happen?


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## Neill McKay (5 Sep 2004)

CFL said:
			
		

> My father served in the navy in the 50's and was asking me if the navy still provided the service of taking members ashes out to sea and spreading them.  Any help here would be appreciated.



I believe the current practice is to "bury" the urn at sea, as opposed to actually scattering the ashes, but it's still done.


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## Ex-Dragoon (5 Sep 2004)

Never seen the urn buried at sea always saw the scattering of ashes.


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## chief_of_da_fence (11 Sep 2004)

contact your neerest local naval reserve unit there i sone in each major city. they might be able to help you out.


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## Scoobie Newbie (17 Sep 2004)

Even in Manitoba?


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## chief_of_da_fence (18 Sep 2004)

the stone friggot

HMCS CHIPPAWA
#1 Navy Way 
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3C 4J7

204-943-7745

Here is a list of units.

http://www.navres.dnd.ca/navres/HQ-QG/organisa/units_e.htm

I happen to be a member of HMCS CHIPPAWA.


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## jmcdonaltx (9 Sep 2005)

my dad passed away in 81 and after contacting the base chaplain,his ashes were sent to esquimalt and a small ceremony of committal of ashes to the deep was performed.good luck


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## Neill McKay (9 Sep 2005)

You can arrange a committal of ashes at sea through the Chaplain's office.  The ashes are kept by the chaplains until a ship goes to sea with a chaplain embarked.  A ceremony takes place in which the urn is tipped over the side from a board kept for the purpose, and a fix is taken at the same time.  The family is supposed to receive a framed section of chart showing exactly where the committal took place.

An alternative for those family members who with to attend the committal (not usually possible in an operational ship) is to request committal from HMCS SACKVILLE.  Every year on Battle of the Atlantic Sunday (or occasionally a few days later, if the weather isn't co-operative) SACKVILLE is towed into the outer part of Halifax harbour for a ceremony that includes these committals.  Families are welcome to attend.


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## navymich (10 Sep 2005)

We have done a couple of committal of ashes over the last year, and I know that the other MCDV's have too.  It is probably easier on us as we sail more often in and out.  I am not sure how they were arranged, I just worked on the ceremonial part of it for onboard itself.  But the families actually sailed with us.  I will ask around on Mon when I head back into work.


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## NCRCrow (16 Sep 2005)

Forum:
we took a deceased Chief (in an urn) on one last run ashore in St. John's Newfoundland as it was it dying wish.

They did not even charge him cover at Trapper John's or Greensleeves.

We buried him at sea the next day. 

That's the way to go, a good run ashore and respectfully laid to rest by your friends and the NAVY.

Unfortunately, it was pretty rough out internally and at sea. :-X

Crow


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## axeman (16 Sep 2005)

we've done a few burials in the short time ive been on Ottowa.and yes the navy is still doing the burials at sea. they will have to weight the urn and make sure the top is secured after the weights have been added ....


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## Neill McKay (16 Sep 2005)

axeman said:
			
		

> we've done a few burials in the short time ive been on Ottowa.and yes the navy is still doing the burials at sea. they will have to weight the urn and make sure the top is secured after the weights have been added ....



The "urns" we used in HMCS SACKVILLE this spring were open-topped boxes wrapped in paper.  I was a bit surprised to see them float for a minute or two after being slid over the side.  It turns out they're heavier on one side so they go in with a bit of a list and the wave action floods and sinks them.


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## axeman (16 Sep 2005)

last one we did aboard Ottowa there was a total of 11 urns all of differing sorts.. there were like 3 -4 of a simple design  [simple wooden box] to the full out ceramic urns  ...


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## Spr.Earl (16 Sep 2005)

CFL said:
			
		

> Even in Manitoba?


They have Prairie Schooners don't they?


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## Scoobie Newbie (16 Sep 2005)

they actually having fishing boats in Lake Winnipeg.


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