Major Wheddon returns home for the last time
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Coming home: Major Chris Wheddon's coffin is carried away from last night's British Airways flight following his repatriation to the Island.
((Photo by Kenneth Byron/Bermuda Regiment)) -
Coming home: Major Chris Wheddon's coffin is carried away from last night's British Airways flight following his repatriation to the Island.
((Photo by Kenneth Byron/Bermuda Regiment))
The body of Bermuda Regiment Major Christian Wheddon was returned to Bermuda last night, ahead of his funeral next week.
In a repatriation ceremony, Major Wheddon’s coffin was draped in a Union flag and taken off the British Airways aircraft, before being carried by slow-marching soldiers and placed in a hearse.
Major Wheddon was killed in a road accident in Oxfordshire on September 9, while en route to an assignment as part of his Regiment training in the UK.
Captain Ben Beasley, of Bermuda Regiment, told The Royal Gazette last night: “Because Major Wheddon was a Bermudian serviceman who died while on duty in the UK, he was afforded a repatriation as his body was brought back home.
“I was especially proud of the way the troops proceeded. Chris was extremely well liked. He was a very cross-social kind of person; he was a sailor, in the police, in the Regiment, and worked as aide-de-camp to the Governor, he did pub quizzes, photography.
“A lot of people knew him, he was the kind of person you can remember. But on top of being a nice guy, he was a noble guy. He always put his service before his personal need.”
Major Wheddon’s funeral takes place at the Cathedral on Tuesday, at 2pm. As a soldier who died in service, he will be entitled to service pall bearers, while a volley will be fired at his graveside.
Capt Beasley said: “That’s doubly fitting because he was an officer in charge of the gun troop, and a massive fanatic about weapons.”
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Published Sep 21, 2012 at 6:00 am (Updated Sep 21, 2012 at 12:11 am)