AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2006
NSW: Kovco's widow greets soldier's coffin at Sydney airport
SYDNEY, April 29 AAP - A full military guard of honour has greeted the remains of Private
Jake Kovco, the soldier killed in Iraq, at Sydney Airport.
In full parade dress and wearing black arm bands, about 300 officers from Private Kovco's
regiment - the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(3RAR) at Holsworthy - formed
a guard of honour from the doorway of the aircraft.
They saluted the silver casket as it passed.
Eight military pallbearers carried the coffin which was draped in an Australian flag
with a wreath of red flowers on top.
Led by a military chaplain and a lone bagpipe player, Pte Kovco's casket made its way
to the side of the tarmac where his widow Shelley, his parents and other members of his
family had a final chance to say goodbye.
Airport security and other staff came to a standstill as the procession passed.
The chief of the defence force Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, Defence Minister Brendan
Nelson and opposition defence spokesman Robert McClelland were also there to pay their
respects.
The coffin was loaded into a black hearse and Shelley, wiping tears from her eyes,
got into the vehicle to accompany it to Glebe Morgue, where there will be a coronial inquest.
The hearse left the airport at 8.20pm (AEST).
AAP ajc/jv/cdh
KEYWORD: KOVCO ARRIVE 2ND LEAD
2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
No comments:
Post a Comment