
Former President George W Bush has been mocked on social media for dancing along to the Battle Hymn of the Republic during a memorial service for the five police officers killed in Dallas last week.

As he held hands with his wife, Laura, and first lady Michelle Obama, Bush could be seen swaying and swinging his arms while the choir sang the American Civil War-era song.

At one point, Michelle leaned in to whisper something into his ear as Barack looked over with a smile during the service at the Morton H Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas.

Michelle links hands with George W as the Battle Hymn of the Republic gets underway

Michelle can be seen leaning in to whisper something into the ear of the former president

Barack casts a watchful eye over his predecessor as he sways to the song's famous marching beat

Laura Bush can be seen looking over at the Obamas as her husband swung his arms to the Civil War-era song that was also played at the funerals of Win­ston Church­ill, Ro­bert Ken­ne­dy, Ron­ald Rea­gan and Ri­chard Nix­on

George W continued to grin and jig about next to his wife Laura while the Obamas looked somber

One poster on Twitter said: 'Was that George W. Bush next to Michelle Obama rocking out to "Glory Hallelujah" during the police memorial? Even Biden knows better.'

Another tweeted: 'POTUS: [leans over to Michelle] Just go with it. *sigh*'

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And on the first lady's reaction, one said: 'Michelle Obama gives a master class on restraint.'

Where Bush made amends, however, was in his speech.

Often lampooned for his oratory skills - or lack of them - during his time in the White House, the 43rd President of the United States was widely praised for his uplifting words - in particular a quote which was widely shared on social media.

'Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions,' he said, to a huge round of applause from the audience

The former President called the slain officers 'the best among us' and said the Dallas Police Department has 'been mighty inspirations for the rest of the nation.'

Bush's bizarre dancing was not the only unusual incident at the memorial.

While President Obama talked about the difficulties police face and racial bias that still exists in the U.S., one female police officer - sitting just behind him - appeared to be snoozing through portions of his 40-minute address.

During his speech, Obama addressed the relationship between police and black communities, trying to articulate the viewpoints of both, as the five killed were protecting those marching in a Black Lives Matter protest downtown after the deaths of two black men at the hands of officers last week.

Before arriving in Dallas, Obama had called the families of the two men killed, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.

The president, echoing Dallas Police Chief David Brown, said the country expected too much of its police force 'and we ask too little of ourselves'.

Gunman Micah Johnson sprayed bullets at police officers who were charged with monitoring the peaceful Black Lives Matter protest last Thursday.

Twelve police officers were shot in total, five of whom were killed.

The victims were later identified as: Brent Thompson, 43; Patrick Zamarripa, 32; Michael Krol, 40; Michael Smith, 55; and 48-year-old Lorne Ahrens.

THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC WAS SUNG AT THE FUNERALS OF REAGAN, NIXON AND CHURCHILL The Battle Hymn of the Republic, also known as Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory outside of the United States, is a song by American writer Julia Ward Howe using the music from the song John Brown's Body. Howe's lyrics were written in November 1861 - a day after she vis­it­ed a Un­ion Ar­my camp on the Po­to­mac Riv­er near Wash­ing­ton, D. C. She heard the sol­diers sing­ing the song John Brown’s Body, and was tak­en with the strong march­ing beat. It was first published in February 1862. The song links the judgment of the wicked at the end of time (Old Testament, Isaiah 63; New Testament, Rev. 19) with the American Civil War. Since that time, it has become an extremely popular and well-known American patriotic song. It was sung at the fun­er­als of Brit­ish Prime Minister Win­ston Church­ill, Amer­i­can sen­at­or Ro­bert Ken­ne­dy, and Am­er­i­can pre­si­dents Ron­ald Rea­gan and Ri­chard Nix­on Advertisement

TWITTER USERS ASTOUNDED BY BUSH'S DANCING AT MEMORIAL SERVICE Advertisement

Mrs Obama was widely praised on social media for the 'restraint' she showed during Mr Bush's antics