Funeral for young farmer's son

8:55am Monday 19th May 2008

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ONE of the tractors which fascinated him all his life carried 22-year-old William Bodman to his final resting place at Urchfont cemetery last Friday.

The popular young farmer's son died in a car crash on the stretch of road between Caen Hill and Seend Fork on Sunday May 4, five days before his 23rd birthday.

And on Friday the community of Urchfont, where he grew up, paid tribute to the young man. St Michael and All Angels' Church was full of mourners at the funeral service.

The coffin arrived at the church borne by a tractor at the head of a small cavalcade of farm vehicles. A floral tribute in the form of a tractor was carried ahead of the coffin into church.

The coffin was borne by four of William's workmates, wearing overalls with the legend Will 1985 to 2008 across the shoulders.

Will's parents, Martin and Louise, his sisters Lucy, Laura and Kate and his brother Henry were in the front pews.

The hymns chosen for the service, led by team rector the Rev Michael Cole, had a farming theme - All Things Bright and Beautiful, The Lord's My Shepherd and We Plough the Fields and Scatter.

Friend of the family Andrew Snook read a tribute by the family to Will, who was born at Devizes Hospital spent most of his early years at Walnut House, by Knights Leaze Farm, which was operated by his family.

Mr Snook said that Will was fascinated by farm machinery from an early age. He attended Urchfont Primary School, virtually across the road from his house.

He was not academically inclined and initially behaved like one of his farm cats, often wandering off to be found curled asleep under a desk.

But what he lacked in academic ability he more than made up for in practicality and he would like nothing better than tinkering with his cars and motorbikes in his father's workshop.

He was very close to his younger brother Henry and the two would often get into scrapes. On one occasion, said Mr Snook, William's over-enthusiasm resulted in the breaking of a large window at the family home.

Mr Snook said: "He was told that the money for the window would come out of his pocket money. William looked up amazed and said: "What pocket money?""

Following the church service, the coffin was loaded onto the front loader of the tractor and taken the short distance to Urchfont cemetery.

There was a collection in William's name which will be split between St Michael's Church and Macmillan Cancer Support.