The funeral of firefighter Barry Martin was held at St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile on Friday.
Preparations were made from early this morning to receive the cortege in West Parliament Square. The street was lined with barriers on the north side where eventually hundreds of people gathered to watch in the bitter cold.
The funeral procession left from McDonald Road Community Fire Station where Mr Martin served as a member of Blue Watch. The Blue Watch in all Edinburgh stations were stood down today to allow staff to attend the service if they wished to do so.
At noon the cortege made its final approach up The Royal Mile from The Scottish Parliament arriving at the High Kirk at 12.30. The coffin was conveyed on the back of a fire appliance escorted by four colleagues on the open back platform. The crowd on the High Street was hushed before and during the procession. All firefighters lining the last part of the High Street from Cockburn Street wore their helmets with heads bowed as the cortege passed by.
The procession was headed up by a lone piper and the members of the clergy who were to lead the service, and followed by a hearse carrying on the left hand side a floral tribute spelling out “Daddy”, and other funeral cars with Mr Martin’s wife Shelley and their eight-year-old twin sons, Oliver and Daniel as well as other members of his family.
At the church the coffin was unloaded to six Blue Watch firefighters who acted as pall bearers proceeding up the ramp to the Cathedral flanked by a Guard of Honour.
The service was led by Rev Calum I. Macleod who began the service with the hymn Praise my soul, the King of Heaven. He said: “We gather to say farewell to Barry Martin who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. In the midst of emotions grief loss love there is also thanksgiving for his life as a husband, father, brother, son and friend.To Shelley his wife, Daniel and Oliver his sons, to mum Carol and her husband Bill, to Ross and Susie to all of his family, friends and colleagues, know that all of Scotland joins you in mourning Barry and celebrating his bravery.”
The Rt Hon Lord Provost Robert Aldridge offered his heartfelt condolences to Barry’s family and friends who “selflessly, heroically and bravely worked with his colleagues to keep us all safe, and very sadly lost his life in the line of duty. Many of you like me will have visited the site at the former Jenners store and read through the many moving tributes to Barry Martin each of them personal and each of them heartfelt. The tributes show how deeply his passing has been felt both by people throughout the city and his firegfighter colleagues across the city and Scotland.
“The tributes were sombre and respectful and reflect the quiet admiration and gratitude we all feel for our firefighters who put their health and lives on the line to protect us, day after day. Thankfully it is a very rare occurrence indeed for any firefighter these days to lose their life in the line of their duty, but that makes the loss of Barry Martin all the more keenly felt by all of us in Edinburgh.”
During the service a minute’s silence was observed by all those present including the First Minister, the Lord Provost, Robert Aldridge, Provost of Fife Jim Leishman
ICO Haggart said: “Our thoughts remain with Barry Martin’s wife Shelley, his sons Oliver and Daniel, and all his family, friends and colleagues who mourn his loss.
“Barry was part of Blue Watch at McDonald Road Community Fire Station, many of whom joined the cortege today to pay a fitting tribute to their colleague.
“They will remember Barry as a Firefighter who was hardworking and loyal and who displayed an unwavering commitment, not only to his family, but to his role within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
“I’d also like to say a heart-felt thank you to all the well-wishers who joined us here in Edinburgh, not only those in St Giles’ Cathedral but everyone who took their place along the Royal Mile.
“Since Barry’s death, we have been overwhelmed with messages of support from around the world and we are grateful to everyone for the time they have taken to share these.
“We all feel this loss deeply and we will ensure that Barry’s selfless duty will never be forgotten.”
He was remembered very fondly by some of the firefighters who trained with him at Cambuslang only three years ago before joining the fire service in 2020.
His wife Shelley had joined in too, undertaking a challenge for the firefighters charity. ICO Haggart said during his address that colleagues say Barry always spoke of that and how proud he was of her.
Following the 40-minute service the coffin was escorted out of the church to the waiting hearse and then taken to Mortonhall for a private service there. as the hearse left the crowd applauded.
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