Crossed the Bar

‘Crossing the Bar’ is a term generally used by the military/ex-military and more specifically the Royal Navy to politely inform and advise of a person that has died.

The term is taken from a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson as meaning to cross the “sandbar” between the tide or river of life, with its outgoing “flood,” and the ocean that lies beyond death, the “boundless deep,” to which we return. The “Pilot” being God.

He wrote the poem after a serious illness while at sea, crossing the Solent from Aldworth to Farringford on the Isle of Wight.

Sunset and evening star
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For though from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.

Rank/Rate	Name	Date	Dates Onboard
Lieut	Leslie E AYLING	28/09/2005	1966-69
AB	Peter (Pearl) BARLEY	09/04/2022	1959-61
Cdr	Richard J BATES	06/04/2022	1966-69
ERA1	Ken BEALES	04/01/2018	1966-69
LSA	Gordon BOLAND	Jan 2021	1964-66
LRO(G)	Martin BOLAND	2006	1964-66
LS	Brian (Robbie) BURNS	13/11/2022	1964-66
RS	Ken (Kit) CARSON	31/12/2012	1966-69
AB	Rod CHANNELL	18/01/2024	1944-46
AB	Chris CHYNOWETH	12/09/2017	1966-69
LMEM(M)	Ray CLINGAN	May 2018	1959-61
LM(E)	Roger DAVAGE	27/03/2021	1966-69
AB	Keith (Walt) DISNEY	09/11/2016	1966-69
AB	Gordon (Jan) DERGES	NK	1964-66
AB	Bill ELLIOTT	06/03/2018	1945-46
LMA	Vic (Doc) GRAINGE	1994	1966-69
	George HALE	13/10/2018	1961-62
Tel	John HEDGES	21/07/2011	1945-46
AB	Roy HEIRONS	30/06/2022	1966-69
LSA	Derek (Taff) HUGHES	Dec 2024	1959-61
AB(QA2)	Michael (Jock) INNES	05/09/2018	1964-66
Lt Cdr	James V KIDD	20/11/2005	1966-69
Po(Sea)	Richard (Dick) LALAND	09/10/2019	1945-46
AB	Ken LAND	05/02/2005	1966-69
POSA(S)	Donald LOVERIDGE	26/06/2017	1966-69
A/POEL	Alastair (Pincher) MARTIN	July 2020	1961-62
Cook(S)	Donny (Jock) MARSHALL	2001	1966-69
PO Wtr	John MEDLAND	19/08/2014	1966
Sub Lieut	Howard Jock MITTON	08/10/2020	1966-69
M(E)1	Peter MOON	May 2017	1961-62
Lieut	Peter C D NORMAN	25/02/2014	1966-69
AB	Tommy NOTCUTT	1976	1966-69
Lieut	David M ODDIE	23/02/2022	1964-66
AB	Ken (Taff) PERRYMAN	Feb 2020	1966-69
AB	Gerald (Blossom) PETCHEY	Aug 2021	1966-69
SPO(V)	John ROADKNIGHT	04/07/2023	1958-59
RO2(T)	Ronald Mansell SMITH	19/01/2020	1966-69
AB	Anthony (Soapy) WATSON	22/04/2010	1959-61
LS	Brackley (Ginge) WARNES	NK	1966-69
PO Wtr	John WILLIS	30/05/2007	1966-69
LEM	Pete (Scurrs) WHELLAMS	2015	1956-58

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