Holt Bowls Club paid respect to one of its longest serving members with a guard of honour at his funeral on Friday.

Village stalwart William Royston Baston, known as Roy, died at Royal United Hospital in Bath on October 1, aged 85, from pneumonia.

Born and bred in Holt, Mr Baston lied about his age to join the Navy and served on Crown Colony-class light cruiser HMS Gambia, the Colossus-class aircraft carrier HMS Glory, and the Cunard liner Aquitania.

His four-year career was cut short when his father had an accident and he was needed to support the family at home. He was a milkman and lorry driver before joining Holt-based J&T Beaven, where he worked as a tanner for 35 years.

The funeral procession started at the bowls club, where members wearing old club ties stood, heads bowed in respect, before making its way to St Katherine’s Church. Police stopped traffic as the family and club members walked behind the hearse.

An HMS Glory flag-bearer walked in front of the coffin as it was brought into the church and later led it to the cemetery.

Mr Baston’s daughter, Debbie Betteridge, 45, from Trowbridge, said: “It was a lovely tribute. People came back to the bowling club to raise a glass to his memory.

“We had photos of him up at the club, his family tree and a memory book. The landlords and staff of The Old Ham Tree and The Tollgate Inn stood outside and the parish council flew the Union Jack. Mum was taken aback by how many people there were.”

Mr Baston was captain and secretary of the bowls club many times and was an active member of the Holt community.

He drove carnival floats, acted as Santa, collected Holt’s Littlewoods football pool coupons and cut the village grass.

Holt Bowls Club chairman, Don Gray, 67, was one of  16 bowlers who followed the coffin, behind the family.

“He was a very good friend of mine and one of the longest serving members of the club and started playing bowls back in the mid 50s. 

“When he was fit and active, you couldn’t keep him off the green.”
Mr Baston was a grandfather of 10 and a great grandfather of 19. He is survived by his wife Dot, daughters Elizabeth, Lynda, Hilary and Debbie, and sons-in-law Steven, Christopher, Kevin and Andrew.

Online donations at www.justgiving.com/roybaston have reached £120 for the Stroke Association. A collection made in the church will go to the Stroke Association and Naval Services Benevolent Fund.