Ben Finney

Together with other colleagues I was able to attend the funeral yesterday of Captain Ben Finney LRAM RM. It was held in a village church on the outskirts of Deal in which he had been baptised as a child. Among family and many friends the service had a strong nautical presence. Alfred Lord Tennison’s ‘Crossing the Bar’, familiar to readers of this site, was recited by CPO Technician David Finney-Young RN prior to the singing of the hymn ‘Eternal Father Strong to Save’. Buglers from RMSM in Portsmouth were present to perform at the later interment in Deal’s Hamilton Road Cemetery which was restricted to members of the family.

Ben had been a Freemason. Initiated in 1962 and achieving Mastership in 1971 and finally promoted to Provincial Grand Registrar in recognition of 50 years of membership in 2012. He was recognised for 60 years of service in 2022. Ben was also a Rotarian and a Past President of Deal Rotary Club. He attained the status of a Paul Harris Fellow for his work as a Rotarian. Following the relocation of RMSM to Portsmouth Ben played his clarinet in the popular RMB ‘All Stars’ concerts at the Winter Gardens in Margate for several years. He and his wife Joan were married in St Luke’s Church in Ramsgate and they celebrated their 70th Wedding anniversary on the 7th April this year receiving a card of personal congratulations from HM King Charles III. Yesterday it was generally agreed that Ben’s impact on the Band Service, his community and family will be felt as he moves on to his next adventure after ‘Crossing the Bar’. The Band Service has lost a loyal and genuine character who will be remembered by his many colleagues with great affection. Graham Hoskins