When this picture from the Birmingham Mail was posted on the Motorcycle Funerals Limited Facebook page in January it attracted a lot of attention. It shows our founder Paul Sinclair riding on the funeral of WW2 dispatch rider Arthur Craythorne in Solihull. The story was even picked up and run by the German press.
Here in Scotland we also served at a funeral for a WWII veteran recently.
In November 2011 we met a man from Helensburgh at an exhibition. He explained how he had seen our Triumph hearse the previous day and had called his dad, who was in his 90’s, and told him about us. He explained that his dad had ridden his bikes until he was well into his 80’s and that he was really interested in our service. The following day he emailed me to say he was worried about his father who he said was “sitting revving up his armchair”. As I was visiting the town a few weeks later I was invited round to the elderly gentleman’s home, together with the hearse, for my lunch so he could see one. A surreal experience I can assure you.
I spent a wonderful couple of hours with Bertie Weir, known locally as Bertie the Biker, and despite the stormy weather he carried out a detailed inspection and liked what he saw.
Unfortunately in September 2012 I took a call from James Auld Funeral Directors and Jim explained that Bertie had passed away and that my services were required.
When I arrived at the funeral home on the day of the funeral I found that Bertie’s coffin was something special.
His son told me that when war became imminent he joined the TA and, as so many did, he and his wife to be advanced their wedding plans, marrying on 14 September 1939. By a strange quirk of fate the day of his funeral would have been their seventy-third wedding anniversary.
During the war he served in various regiments including the Highland Light Infantry (H.L.I) and Enniskillens and at the age of only twenty-two he was a Major in charge of a company of men.
However Bertie spent the majority of the war in Africa where he served with the Somaliland Camel Corps. To celebrate his military service when he passed away the family arranged to have Bertie’s coffin adorned with pictures of camels set against a desert background provided by Colourful Coffins. Bertie’s Kullah (Camel Corps head dress) travelled on top of his coffin. Instead of being a sad day it was a celebration of all Bertie enjoyed in his life and it was wonderful to see so many smiling faces.
Rest in Peace Bertie the Biker, it was an honour to meet and serve you.
– Alistair Tait, Motorcycle Funerals Limited
