Military Funerals

Funerals for Veterans and the Armed Forces with Rowland Brothers

Funerals for Veterans and the Armed Forces with Rowland Brothers

Rowland Brothers are dedicated to honouring those who have served our countries and put their lives on the line for the United Kingdom.

We are proud of the men and women who have sworn allegiance to the King and are committed to honouring these Veterans to the best of our ability.

We work efficiently and compassionately to deliver a personal day that honours the formal requirements of the service while assisting the family with the many regulatory procedures included in service personnel funerals.

For instance, the Union Flag draped over the coffin, a wreath from their parent Regiment or Royal British Legion, Standard Bearers, Last Post and Reveille played are traditions carried out at no extra cost to families.

Military
Military Certificate Signing

The Armed Forces Covenant

The government published the Armed Forces Covenant in 2011 setting out the relationship between the nation, the armed forces and the government the same year Croydon became the first London borough to sign a Community Covenant.

Rowland Brothers are proud to be the first funeral directors in the Country to sign the Armed Forces Covenant, showing our commitment to supporting those who service men and women and their families.

Silver Award Holders

We’re delighted to have received the Silver award for the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme.

At Rowland Brothers we recognise the skills and talent service personnel can bring to our organisation.

If you’d like to apply for a career with us, find our current vacancies on the careers page.

Our Story

The Rowland Family have a history of serving their country, the reason such a strong esprit de corps persists at the firm.

Director, Tony Rowland’s Great Grandfather was Admiral Reed, the captain of the last sailing warship in the British Royal Navy. During his illustrious career, Reed mapped the China Sea.

Throughout the generations, the Rowland Brothers continued to serve their country.

Military Funerals

Sir Edward James Reed

Tony Rowland’s Great Grandfather was Admiral Reed who passed away in 1873. During his illustrious career he mapped the China Sea and was captain of the last sailing warship in the British Royal Navy. Admiral Reeds Brother was Sir Edward James Reed, born 20th September 1830 passed away 30th November 1906, KCB, FRS. He was the Chief Constructor of the Royal Navy from 1863 until 1870. His term of office saw the final transition from wooden to ironclad warships. Including HMS Bellerophon HMS Monarch and HMS Devastation. He was a Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1906.

Mr Rowland Snr

Clarence Rowland (Arthur)

Tony Rowland’s father joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1939 when war broke out. He was sent to the Middle East and saw service in El Alamein in 1942. He was demobbed in 1945.

Photo of Uncle Jim

James William Rowland (Jimmy)

Jim joined in 1942 also into the Royal Army Medical Corps. Jimmy took part in the D-Day landings in 1944 and was also demobbed in 1945.

Tony Rowland

Tony Rowland, Chairman of Rowland Brothers

Tony completed his national service in the Royal Army Ordinance Corps. Tony joined on 21st March 1957 and was demobbed on 19th March 1959. He was posted to Blackdown near Woking where he applied 56 times to serve abroad and ended up in Didcot! Tony was a lance corporal, camp carpenter and for 6 weeks was the regimental drill instructor.

Our Staff Who Have Served

Rowland Brothers are proud to be part of the Armed Forces covenant and were the first funeral directors in the country to do so, pledging our ongoing support to British servicemen and the community.

Tony Pearson

Tony Pearson

Branch Manager and Conductor. Royal Corps of Transport Tony joined up in 1984 and spent time in the UK, Germany, and a tour of duty with UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. He Left in 1988 due to arthritic knees. He went on to be first Borough Military Champion in Croydon and Chair of New Addington Royal British Legion

Military Funerals

John Rule

Area Manager and Conductor John Joined the Grenadier Guards 1977 as a Junior Guardsman completing one year’s training before being posted to Chelsea Barracks to provide public duties including Queen’s Birthday Parades and Royal Guards. John spent three months in Kenya in 1979 was posted to Münster BAOR in Germany, subsequently spending 4 months in Londonderry and two armoured training tours in Canada. In 1982 John returned to Chelsea Barracks. He also served 6 months In Cyprus and 6 months in Belize. In 1986, he spent 2 years on an accompanied tour to Northern Ireland. Then in 1988 he went back to Caterham for public duties, finally spending 3 months in Kenya.

Military Funerals

Neil Athron

Business Development Manager military Liaison officer. Royal Air Force Regiment Neil Joined the Royal Air Force Regiment in 1995 aged 29 and was posted to The Armament Defence Squadron and then onto 63 Field Squadron. Neil completed a tour of the Gulf in 1998/9 Kuwait and Southern Iraq as part of Operation Desert Fox. He is trained in combat infantry warfare. He is paratrooper qualified, gaining Czech and American wings. Neil won top shot in the regiment combat shooting competition then served on The Queens Colour Squadron carrying out public duties as the Buckingham Palace Guard. Neil has also performed at two Royal Tournaments, Remembrance Sunday at the Royal Albert Hall, and the International Military Tattoo as part of the famous Queen’s Colour Squadron Continuity Drill Team. Neil left the regiment in 2002.

Neil then served 9 years in the Metropolitan Police as a constable on response teams specialising as a Family Liaison Officer working high profile cases such as two plane crashes a marine borne disaster, Steve Wright serial killer in Suffolk and many suspicious deaths murders and suicides.

Military Funerals

Harry Humphreys

Chauffeur/Bearer Royal Green Jackets Royal Corps of Transport Harry joined the Royal Green Jackets in 1968 as a junior soldier; he completed P Company in 1970 and gained his jump wings through the All-Arms Parachute course. Harry completed two tours of Northern Ireland then rebadged to the Royal Corps of Transport and completed a tour of Cyprus and ended up in Hong Kong. When Harry left the regular forces, he joined the London Ambulance Service for 35 years working his way up to Paramedic and Air Ambulance Paramedic. During 1983-1997, Harry was still a member of the Territorial Army and continues to work one day a week in the London Ambulance Service.

Military Funerals

Frankie McCabe

Chauffeur Bearer Frankie Joined the Royal Irish Regiment in 2006. Frankie was the Infantry Section Commander completing military exercises worldwide including Afghanistan.

Frankie was awarded The Chief of General Staff Commendation. Frankie qualified as a Team Medic, Anti-Tank Weapon Systems, All Arms Drill (instructor), Skill at Arms (instructor), Close Quarter Combat (instructor). Frankie Left the British Army in 2019.

Military Services We’ve Conducted

We’re proud to say we’ve conducted and organised a diverse range of veterans funerals, honouring them with the fitting traditions, ceremonies and tributes.

We’ve scattered the ashes of an ex-Royal Navy wren from the HMS Belfast, used the same gun carriage that was used to carry Lord Mountbatten in our veteran’s funerals, giving them the recognition and service they deserve.

The veterans we’ve carried our funerals for include:

  • Royal Navy
  • Royal Marines
  • Royal Scots Royal Regiment
  • Royal Artillery
  • World War 2 Special Forces Phantom
  • Royal Air Force
  • Grenadier Guards
  • Ambulance Service
  • Police and Fire Service

If you’d like to enquire about our Military Funeral Service, please get in touch.

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