A provisional date of next Wednesday, March
23, has been set for the release of the bodies by Wiltshire
coroner David Masters. Until these details are finalised the
funeral plans cannot be confirmed, although a provisional
date of April 1 has been set for Cpl
Williams' funeral. The service will be jointly conducted
by Rev Simon Tatton-Brown, of St Andrew's Church, and RAF
Lyneham Padre David Edgar. Canon Tony Fensome, vicar of St
Peter's Church, will also be present as the family reside
in his parish. It will be followed by a cremation at Semington
Crematorium.
Colleagues of Cpl Williams said he was a devoted husband
and proud father. A statement described him as "a happy-go-lucky
character, with a mischievous personality and a dry sense
of humour; forever joking, making light of any conditions
in any location." It said he had amassed a wealth of
knowledge during his 17 years as a survival equipment fitter
with the RAF engineering wing and was a totally dedicated
individual who epitomised professionalism.
North Wiltshire MP James Gray said he would like to show
his support at the funeral if the family invited him. This
week Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel's father told an Australian
newspaper how the family had struggled to cope with the drawn
out timescale. The remains of all 10 men have been held at
the Great Western Hospital in Swindon since they were repatriated
on February 8. Speaking from his home in Victoria, John Pardoel
said: "You can only begin to imagine how we feel. We
cannot rest until this has all been sorted out. "By now,
most people who have lost a loved one would have been able
to attend a funeral and pay their respects properly. But for
all of us, we're still sitting here waiting, and its very,
very hard."
But Mr Gray said "It was not unusual for a coroner to
take several weeks under these circumstances. It has been
quite short in terms of the time the coroner has taken,"
he said. "He did tell me he would do everything he could
to release them as swiftly as possible. It's very regrettable
we have to wait for a coroner's report but that is the law
of the land. I do sympathise with the families."
A spokesman from RAF Lyneham said no dates had yet been confirmed
and refused to comment further.
In the days after the crash, pupils at St Peter's led tributes
to Cpl Williams by lighting candles in his memory. The little
boy's classmates were split into small groups and told of
the tragedy by headteacher Sue Smith. At the time she said
children were concerned about how they would support their
friend when he returned to school. "They wanted to send
him a card and a present, and one child said he would not
ask too many questions," said Mrs Smith. "I briefly
prayed with the class. They have been amazing."
A spokesman from RAF Lyneham said a station representative
would be present at each funeral and that the families had
requested the ceremonies were dignified with minimum intrusion
from the press and public. |
