VANCOUVER DIVISION HONOUR GUARD

All retired members and ex-members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are entitled to have a Veteran’s Honour Guard at a Funeral or Memorial Service.

Vancouver Division of the RCMP Veteran’s Association covers the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast. It has four Honour Guard teams. Each team has a Commander and dedicated members.

• Team One looks after Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, and the North Shore including Whistler and the Sunshine Coast.
• Team Two looks after Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Mission, Port Moody, New Westminster, and North Surrey.
• Team Three is responsible for Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Langley, and Aldergrove.
• Team Four will attend services in Delta, South Surrey, and White Rock.

All four teams support each other and can inter-change if required. Unaffiliated veterans can serve with any team. There are also two Honour Guard Commanders-at-large, who provide support, if a specific Team Commander is unavailable.

The President of the Board of Directors has appointed a Guard Commander to coordinate the activities of the four Honour Guard Teams and the Ceremonial Guard. Family members or friends of a deceased member wishing to have an Honour Guard can contact the Guard Coordinator who will make the necessary arrangements. There is no expense involved.

HOW TO REQUEST AN HONOUR GUARD

The current Guard Coordinator is Dan Lemieux. He can be contacted at 604-988-7421 or ( deebeel_[AT]_telus.net )

Contact should be made as soon as possible. The Guard Coordinator will immediately notify the membership of the passing of a retired or ex-member and will alert the Honour Guard Team responsible for the area where the service will be held. The Coordinator can also provide the family with helpful information and will assist with planning, if required. The Guard Coordinator will arrange for at least two serving members of the RCMP to attend in full dress uniform. Families will be encouraged to show the RCMP Crest on the obituary notice.

When details of the time and place of the Memorial or Funeral Service are finalized, the Guard Coordinator or Guard Commander will contact the minister or priest involved and will outline the protocol.

HONOUR GUARD PROTOCOL

The purpose of the Honour Guard is to provide comfort and support to the family and to say farewell to a friend and colleague. Each team has an RCMP Shabbrack (horse blanket used by the Musical Ride), Stetson, and CD of the Last Post and Reveille. The Shabbrack can be used to cover a small Table of Remembrance at the front of the church or funeral home. A photo of the deceased in uniform is helpful. The Stetson can be placed on the table beside the photograph, or on the casket depending on the wishes of the family.

Table of Remembrance

Prior to the service, arrangements will be made with the person in charge for the Honour Guard to be seated at the front of the church, across the aisle from the family. The Guard will march into the building, just prior to the arrival of the family. They remain seated throughout the service.

At the conclusion of the service, arrangements will be made for the Priest or Minister to ask the Honour Guard to take post. The Commander will ask the Guard to stand. The Serving Members will take post on either side of the Table of Remembrance facing the congregation. All will wear headdress. During the playing of the Last Post followed by a minute of silence, the Guard will bow their heads. Reveille is then played, during which time the Guard Commander will salute while facing the Table of Remembrance or casket.

The Honour Guard members will then immediately depart and line up on either side of the exit. All wearing headdress will salute the immediate family of the deceased as they pass through the exit. The Honour Guard involvement will take approximately three minutes. The Honour Guard is very flexible and variations can be made, depending on the wishes of the family or the minister/priest.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LAST POST AND REVEILLE

THE LAST POST TRUMPET CALL SIGNIFIES LIFE.

THE MOMENT OF SILENCE SIGNIFIES DEATH.

REVEILLE IS PLAYED TO SALUTE THE RESURRECTION.