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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
A fitting honour for a war veteran - Robert Lyle McCartney - 1926 - 2015
My dad, Robert Lyle McCartney, was just 18 years old when he joined the Royal Canadian Navy. It was 1944 and Canada had been officially involved in the Second World War since 1939.
He volunteered to become a signalman and after training for a few weeks he was deployed to convoys crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
He worked mostly on British ships, making the crossing several times. My dad didn’t talk too much about his experiences in the navy until he was much older. I think those memories became more vivid in his mind.
He passed away in 2015. It took me several years to decide how to honour his memory. It was while I was searching how to have his ashes interred at the small Veterans Cemetery in Esquimalt that I spoke with the padre at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt. He was very kind and generous with his time and offered to do some research into the process.
When he called back he mentioned that he usually only dealt with burials at sea. What? This was not something I had considered as a possibility. I immediately knew that would be perfect for my dad.
On Oct. 17, 2020, my father’s ashes were committed to the sea. The ceremony took place on board HMCS Calgary and was presided over by Padre Lieutenant Wilson Gonese, who had been so helpful to me.
I want to send a heartfelt thank you to all onboard the ship, including Commanding Officer Mark O’Donohue and Padre Gonese. Thank you all so very much for honoring my father, a veteran of the Second World War, in such a personal and compassionate way.
Molly L. McCartney Victoria (Published in the Victoria Times Colonist 04 Nov 2020)
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