Funeral of Lt Cdr David Alan ‘Dan’ Nicholson RN
6 Feb 2026 - MCDOA members Martyn Holloway, Yours Truly (Rob Hoole), Julian Malec, Simon Nicholson and Chris Tarmey represented the MCDOA at yesterday’s funeral of Dan Nicholson at the Harbour View Crematorium, Lytchett Minster in Dorset (See my article for 11 Jan 2026). Other attendees included a strong contingent from the RNLI and ‘The Gravellers’ acapella choir with whom Dan sang. The celebrant was Dan’s daughter Lucy.
We walked into the chapel to the sound of The Shadows playing ‘Wonderful Land’. The full Order of Service can be downloaded by clicking on the image below but the ceremony included many tributes by family and friends including Martyn Holloway, the hymn ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’, the Naval Hymn (Eternal Father), a spiritual called ‘Humble’ sung by The Gravellers which included a recorded intercession of Dan singing a solo verse, and a musical rendition of Tennyson’s ‘Crossing the Bar’ recorded by the Spooky Men’s Chorale.
On completion of the service, we repaired to the Purbeck Tea Room, accommodated under the same roof, for the wake which included a rolling pictorial history of Dan and his family and friends. Sailing, skiing, canal boating, guitar playing, woodworking and making cork boards featured prominently.
The service will soon be available to watch online using this link although it will expire on 5 March. After opening the link, you will need to provide this information:
User Name: keya0749
Password: 293644
Postscript: On the morning of Dan’s funeral, I received this message from LMCDO ‘79 graduate Allan Rankin who transferred from the RN to the RAN in 1988. He left the RAN as a Commander in 2017 after a naval career spanning 42 years and now lives in Mooloolaba in the Sunshine Coast Region of Queensland.
“Hi Rob,
I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dan Nicholson in your post last month.
Dan was my Commanding Officer in HMS Kirkliston in 1981–82 and later my boss at the Mine Warfare School at HMS Vernon in 1983–84.
I will always remember him as a true gentleman — a leader of calm authority, unwavering integrity and good humour, who genuinely cared for his people.
I remain grateful for the time I shared with Dan at sea and ashore, and for the friendship that followed long after our service together ended. He leaves behind a fine legacy. Please pass on my condolences to Chris, Andrew and Lucy if you are attending Dan’s funeral today.
May he rest in peace.”
Allan accompanied his message with these photos from his time in HMS KIRKLISTON and at HMS VERNON:
