Funeral of Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith VC, CM, OBC, CD
"Smokey" Smith, 3 May 1914 – 3 August 2005, was given a full military funeral in Vancouver on 12 August 2005. Smokey was the last living Canadian Victoria Cross recipient which brought considerable attention to the funeral. The photo shows two of the Honorary Pallbearers, the Chief of Defence (CDS) Staff General Rick Hillier, CMM, MSC, CD and the Commander Land Staff (CLS) Lieutenant-General Marc Caron, CMM, MSM, CD. 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA provided the Field Artillery Tractor (FAT), 25 Pounder funeral gun and limber. Bombardier Barry MacLeod, CD drove the FAT with Warrant Officer Joe Shortt, CD in the Detachment Commander seat and Captain Douglas P. Gayton, CD in the backseat constantly liaising with the CDS and CLS.
With the CDS and CLS as Honorary Pallbearers, Captain Gayton was their sole link to how the funeral process was unfolding. The timings were off by 30 minutes as the red serge wave of Mounties continued to come.
After a very long wait the casket was removed and the detachment was able to redeploy back to Bessborough Armoury in time to crack several Heineken in the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess before Major Jim Shortt, Brigade Chaplain, started the funeral proper. The troops lining the route were dutifully toasted as they were passed.
There are many funny stories of that whole process. There were the days of rehearsal where the gun detachment had to constantly beat it into the collective higher that the 25 pounder was a funeral gun and not a gun carriage and you can take all that black crepe off of our colours. There was the, “Why do you want us to practice going slowly when we are behind troops and moderate our speed according to them." And of course there was the bizarre timing of the CF-18s.
Everything appeared to come together for the final practise except for when the rolled down the platform and the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada pallbearers almost tossed it into the air. It appears that the mortuary had been in overnight which resulted in 220 pounds less in the way of contents.
After a very long wait the casket was removed and the detachment was able to redeploy back to Bessborough Armoury in time to crack several Heineken in the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess before Major Jim Shortt, Brigade Chaplain, started the funeral proper. The troops lining the route were dutifully toasted as they were passed.
There are many funny stories of that whole process. There were the days of rehearsal where the gun detachment had to constantly beat it into the collective higher that the 25 pounder was a funeral gun and not a gun carriage and you can take all that black crepe off of our colours. There was the, “Why do you want us to practice going slowly when we are behind troops and moderate our speed according to them." And of course there was the bizarre timing of the CF-18s.
Everything appeared to come together for the final practise except for when the rolled down the platform and the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada pallbearers almost tossed it into the air. It appears that the mortuary had been in overnight which resulted in 220 pounds less in the way of contents.
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Ernest Alvia (Smokey) Smith V.C. State Funeral Procession Vancouver August 2005 video by Harry Moon.
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