I'm glad I went

It's a few days now since Ben Chuck's funeral at Yungaburra.  It was held near the boat ramp at Tinnaburra on Lake Tinnaroo.  A red stage had been built out over the slope of the bank and 2 enormous marquees full of chairs were set up.

We were both very glad we went even though we didn't know the family.  It was an absolutely huge funeral with the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Premier of Queensland, notable members of the military branches and hundreds of soldiers, some in civvies and some in uniform.  The Chuck family members were so brave as those spoke of Ben, I'm not sure I could have done it but they probably felt it was the last thing they could do for him, so I would probably have felt that too had it been me having to stand up there.  The gun carriage was so shiney and pulled by a khaki coloured Ford F250.  Most attendees wore dark glasses, including myself.  The gun salute was so loud and it ricocheted round the hills and across the lake and returned twice for each shot - quite amazing.

As the bearers lifted the coffin after the ceremony I was wondering why they faced out to the lake when they'd only have to shuffle round to leave the stage and then I heard the dull thud of a single rotor helicopter approaching and as it came into view it did a half circle over the water and came in so close that the ripples on the water only just stopped short of the bank.  It hovered at little more than coffin height for a minute or two then dipped its nose in salute, flew a short distance backwards, turned and flew away.  I lost it at that point, it was the most moving tribute one could wish for.