From the
Belfast Evening Telegraph
Belfast, N. Ireland
Monday, March 13, 1916

LAST OF HEROIC BAND.

CAPT. R. M. BOND SHELTON.

IMPRESSIVE OBSEQUIES.

In the crypt of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, were laid to rest to-day the earthly remains of Captain Ralph MacGeough Bond Shelton, D. L., the last survivor of the ill-fated Birkenhead, which was wrecked in Simon's Bay, on February 26, 1852. Full of years and honours, he died at his residence, The Argory, Moy, Co. Armagh, on Wednesday last, and those who have the least knowledge of his gallant and adventurous career will re-echo the pious hope that "after life's fitful fever, he sleeps well." As Cornet Bond of the 12th Lancers he played a brave man's part in that great catastrophe, when the Birkenhead, with its cargo of human souls, went down, and he was one of the fortunate 184 who survived from the 683 on board. Not only did he gallantly save women and children in the early hours of that February morning, sixty-four years ago, but at the last moment, regardless of his own life, he went down to the saloon to rescue a child, and afterwards swam a couple of miles through the shark-infested waters to the beach. Even when he had reached the neighbourhood of the shore, after that terible buffeting in the tumbling seas, he became entangled in seaweed, and it was only by superhuman determination and strength that he managed to gain the land. In the Providence of God he was preserved to take part not only in the Kaffir war, but the Crimean campaign, the Indian Mutiny, and other conflicts, and everywhere he acquitted himself right gallantly. He spent the evening of his days in the quietude of The Argory, surrounded by hosts of friends, and his death was sincerely mourned though he had long passed the allotted span of years.

The Argory is a fine mansion, outwardly as well as inwardly - the embodiment of solid respectability, a true reflection of the unoffending elegance of him whose passing the country now mourns. Punctually at the fixed hour - 10:30 - the remains were borne from the house and placed in a four-horse hearse. The cortege moved slowly down the avenue, where there were already signs of the birth of foliage, from trees with which intermingled oak and yew, emblems of majesty and courage, sorrow and immortality. The labourers of the estate acted as bearers under the guidance of the land steward, Mr. Isaac Allen.

The chief mourners were - Major Lord Louth, Westminster Dragoons, nephew; Mr. M. V. Blacker Douglas, nephew-in-law; Mr. A. D. Orr, representing Judge Walter M'Gough Bond, of Cairo; Col. Ralph M'Geough Bond, Royal Field Artillery, and other members of the family.

Amongst those present were - Major Close, Mr. Henry Augustus Johnston, Mr. H. B. Armstrong, Captain Richardson, Rev. Mr. Campbell, and Corporal Rodgers, H. A. C., deceased's former attendant. On the way to Armagh, which from Argory is a journey of seven miles, Drumsill, another old seat of the family, adjoins the road, and this estate was passed at a walking pace.

The funeral cortege arrived at the Cathedral, Armagh, shortly after twelve o'clock, and was received at the west door by the Lord Primate, who preceded the coffin, borne by labourers from the estate, reciting the Burial Service for the Dead. Down the nave of the noble Cathedral, with its ancient sculptures, monumental tablets, brasses, with tattered banners of the many gallant regiments, including the flag taken from the French at the attempted landing in 1798 overhead, marched the solemn procession, the Cathedral bell tolling out meanwhile its measured note. The coffin was deposited at the foot of the chancel steps, and the Lord Primate took up his position on the Episcopal throne, and the sacred edifice was filled with a devout congregation, inclusive of representatives on many public bodies in the city and County of Armagh.

THE LORD PRIMATE'S ADDRESS

The hymn "Lead, kindly Light" having been sung, the Lord Primate read the appointed lesson, and then said: - Ordinarily, we entirely shrank from delivering a funeral address on such solemn occasions as that, and chiefly because any words of man seemed to him to utterly weaken the intensity and force of our wonderful burial service, and, above all, the glorious words of hope that he had just read from the pen of St. Paul. Besides, there was always the danger that in affectionate esteem for the dead friend too much praise might be bestowed, or that, in ignorance of his finer qualities, too little might be said. In the presence of the sad mystery of death one might well indulge in pessimistic thoughts. It was, indeed, a strange picture of the vanity of all human things, that the loving heart, the active brain, the keen eye, and the strong arm should no longer be of any avail. In the presence of such a mystery it was best to say, with the Psalmist, "I became dumb; I opened not my mouth." To think that the noblest part of God's creation, man, made in the image of God, should be thus cut off, and often when his powers were at their best and his presence most needed, would indeed make pessimists of every one of us, if death were the end of all things. But St. Paul was no pessimist, and in the presence of the last enemy that shall be destroyed he rose to the highest pitch of optimism, and wound up with a peroration of matchless beauty: - "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for-as-much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." Surely no other words were needed before they committed the body to the grave, earth to earth, ashes to ashes; but to-day they might well make an exception for a few minutes from the general rule, for they were about to lay in its last resting-place the body of a man who has helped to lay the foundation stones of our Empire, for Captain Bond-Shelton was the last survivor of that most gallant band whose deeds had helped to make England great, and whose daring lay at the basis of our national character and conduct. Did he say national character? The present Provost of Trinity College, who knew Germany better than most men, told him a few days ago that for many long years the story of the wreck of the Birkenhead was read in Germany to the cadets of the army and navy before they left college.

The suite of coffins was encased in a solid oak casket, with raised panel lid, and sides with carved plinths and solid brass mountings, the breastplate bearing the engraved inscription: "Captain Ralph MacGeough Bond Shelton, born 24th November, 1832, died March 8th, 1916." The entire funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. R. R. Loudan, F. L. C. E., undertaker and embalmer, Armagh, and were highly satisfactory.