Robert John (Ronnie) Robertson, who has been awarded a BEM by Her Majesty The Queen for his services to St. John’s Parish Church, Fivemiletown, has described the honor as a "great surprise".

Ronnie has served his community for many years as a gravedigger, digging the graves by hand. He is also responsible for the maintenance of the church grounds.

Gravedigging by hand has been in Ronnie’s family for over 116 years – a fact that the Fivemiletown man is very proud of, having taken up the spade from his father and grandfather before him.

Delighted to be recognised with a BEM in the Queen's Birthday Honours, Ronnie said: "I am very happy, it is some honour."

"It means a whole lot to me. It's for the three generations, me, my grandfather and my father," he told The Impartial Reporter, noting that when he first received the news of his BEM, he couldn't believe it.

"I'm looking forward to receiving the award later in the year in Hillsborough," he added.

This is the second recognition Ronnie has received from The Queen in her Platinum Jubilee year, having been selected as one of 96 men from across the UK to be presented with Maundy money at Easter 2022.

"There was a service in the church on Easter Sunday for me. It was the Bishop who took it," said Ronnie, who wasn't able to attend the Royal Maundy Service in Windsor.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter last year about his work as a gravedigger, Ronnie outlined the family history of grave digging by hand, noting how he is the third generation to learn the skill.

“In 1904, my grandfather, Robert Reilly, started. He was my mother’s father. He worked at it from 1904 to 1950. Then my father, Kitchener Robertson, he worked as a gravedigger from 1951 to 1977.

“I took over in 1977, and to this day I’m still at it,” said Ronnie, explaining how his grandfather would have taught his father the skill. “And my father taught me,” he added.

Over the years, Ronnie has dug graves in and around the Fivemiletown area.

“I dug 30 years in the chapel’s ground in Fivemiletown, St. Mary’s, and the same at Aughataine Presbyterian. I was 30 years in it and Cavanaleck. I’ve given them up, now,” he said.

Ronnie also worked in the Water Service for 30 years, and for a time he was working there and also gravedigging.

Not only does Ronnie dig the graves, he also looks after the maintenance of the graveyard; cutting the grass, strimming the hedges and keeping the graves tidy, to name but a few of his tasks.

To this day, Ronnie is still digging the graves by hand.

"I have a powerful interest in it," he told this newspaper.