DUKE OF KENT’S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 24287, 31 August 1942, Page 2

DUKE OF KENT’S DEATH

BURIAL IN ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL R.A.F. SERGEANTS GARRY COFFIN (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. August 29. In the presence of the King and Queen, Queen Alary, the Duchess of Kent, and other members of the Royal Family, tho remains of the Duke of Kent wore laid to rest in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, this morning. The funeral was of a private character. The coffin was carried in procession on the shoulders of eight R.A.F. sergeant pilots. At the funeral six air marshals acted as pallbearers. The King, who was in Air Force uniform, walked immediately behind the coffin -with the Duke of Gloucester on his right and Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey (representing the Duke of Windsor) on his loft. Then came King Peter of Yugoslavia, King Haakon of Norway, King George of tho Hellenes, Prince Bernhard, and the Crown Prince of Norway, Tho ladies of the Royal Family occupied seats in the choir. Queen Alary, with the Duchess of Kent, entered the choir just before the procession made its way into the chapel. Detachments from the Royal Navy, the R.A.F., and the Royal West Kent Regiment and the Royal Fusiliers, of which regiments the Duke was colonel-in-chief, lined the west end of the chapel and the central nave. !

The choir, singing ‘ Abide With Ale,’ led the procession up the nave on to the choir, where the coffin was placed on a bier. Tho Duchess of Kent knelt in prayer as the eight (R.A.F. sergeants placed the coffin on the bier. The service was concluded with Sir Gerald Wollaston, Garter King of Arms, stepping in front of the vault and proclaiming tho styles and titles of the late Duke. Then the ‘Last Post’ was sounded by trumpeters of the R.A.F. The coffin,' which was wrapped in the Duke's personal standard and on which two wreaths rested, was lowered into the vault, and to the music of Chopin’s ' Funeral March ’ the Royal Family passed by the open vault. EXTENT OF INJURIES THROWN CLEAR OF FLAMES LONDON. August 29. The Duke of Kent .icceivcd .severe head injuries and a broken leg in the flying boat crash. Death is believed to have been instantaneous. His body was thrown clear of the Haines. Dr Robert Kennedy, the first searcher to identify the Duke, said: “The machine was shattered in a thousand pieces. 1 recognised the Duke, and in addition saw his name on his identity disc. He lay perfectly composed.” SPECIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. noon.) RUGBY, August 30. In the ancient Parish Church of St. Peter in the Buckinghamshire village of Ivor the Duchess of Kent to-day attended a memorial service for the Duke. The Duchess several times was deeply distressed, particularly when the Bishop of Buckingham, who conducted the service, said: “Let us humbly remember before God the Duke of Kent and all those who died with, him.” At the request of the Duchess this was the only direct reference to the Duke. At other times the reference was to “ those who have given their lives in service.” ,Among the hymns the Duchess chose was the Easter hymn ‘ On Resurrection Morning ’ and tho psalm ‘ The Lord Is ALy Shepherd.’