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'No family' RAF veteran to get 'gentleman's send-off' Facebook plea for 'no family' RAF veteran's funeral
(about 1 hour later)
An RAF veteran who died without any surviving family is to be given a send-off by ex-servicemen and an escort of bikers after a Facebook campaign.An RAF veteran who died without any surviving family is to be given a send-off by ex-servicemen and an escort of bikers after a Facebook campaign.
John Davies was 94 when he died in Great Yarmouth earlier this month.John Davies was 94 when he died in Great Yarmouth earlier this month.
He had spent time in the US, Canada and India with the RAF but his funeral on Wednesday was due to be poorly attended. He served in World War II, when he was stationed in North America, Africa and India, but his funeral on Wednesday was due to be poorly attended.
A Facebook post has suggested people pay their respects "to see this gentleman on his final journey".A Facebook post has suggested people pay their respects "to see this gentleman on his final journey".
Mr Davies grew up in Burgh Castle, near Great Yarmouth, before active service during World War II. 'Tragic life'
Debbie Lowe, his neighbour of 20 years at a sheltered housing complex, said he never married or had children. He lived his final years at The Gables care home in Gorleston, Norfolk, where deputy manager Julie Hayes remembered him as a "real gentleman".
'Walked to London' "He hated TV, he called it the fools' lantern, but would write poetry and sing to us while wearing his top hat," she said.
His brother was killed when he crash-landed coming back from a sortie in World War II, and his sister died several years ago. Mr Davies had two brothers and two sisters, who all pre-deceased him, and never married.
"People knew John as Bomber Davies," she said. "He had quite a tragic life," added Ms Hayes.
"He did a lot of work for charity and would stand in Yarmouth Market Place selling CDs for the Caister lifeboat. "He was supposed to meet his proposed wife in Malta, but then he was stationed in North Africa, so he missed his wedding.
"He loved walking and told me when he was a young man he walked to London, sleeping in a haystack." "He never knew what happened to her.
She said he had become a recluse in recent years and moved to a care home in 2011, after developing dementia. "He also never got over the death of his brother, Reginald, who was also in the RAF and was just 19 when he was killed in the war."
He died at St David's care home in Great Yarmouth. He passed away at a care home in Great Yarmouth earlier this month.
'Really heartwarming' A message about his death and forthcoming funeral was posted on a serviceman's forum earlier this month, where it was spotted by Mick Smith.
A short message about his death and forthcoming funeral was posted on a serviceman's forum, where it was spotted by Mick Smith.
He reposted the plea on his own page on Friday, after noticing it was getting "little attention". It has since been shared more than 700 times.He reposted the plea on his own page on Friday, after noticing it was getting "little attention". It has since been shared more than 700 times.
"I've got friends in Great Yarmouth in the services and ex-services and so the message spread like a bush fire," said Mr Smith, of Newmarket, Suffolk."I've got friends in Great Yarmouth in the services and ex-services and so the message spread like a bush fire," said Mr Smith, of Newmarket, Suffolk.
"We've heard from RAF veterans' organisations who have said they will send standard bearers, it's really heart-warming.""We've heard from RAF veterans' organisations who have said they will send standard bearers, it's really heart-warming."
Slept in a haystack
Mr Davies was born and bred in Burgh Castle, near Great Yarmouth, and left school at 14 to work on a poultry farm for seven shillings a week.
He remembered the Regal Cinema being built and watched the first film shown there, The Private Lives of Henry VIII.
Aged 15, he walked to London - sleeping in a haystack en route - to join his brother, Arthur.
He was a hotel chef in the capital before and after World War II, and later a maintenance engineer at The Star Hotel in Great Yarmouth until his retirement.
He continued to work into his mid-80s, running a market stall selling CDs in aid of the Caister Lifeboat.
Mr Smith has helped organise an escort of bikers, who will ride with Mr Davies' coffin from Great Yarmouth to Gorleston.Mr Smith has helped organise an escort of bikers, who will ride with Mr Davies' coffin from Great Yarmouth to Gorleston.
"Someone with such a distinguished service record for this country should be given a really good send-off," he added."Someone with such a distinguished service record for this country should be given a really good send-off," he added.
"I hate it when you hear about carers attending a funeral and there being a four or five people there, I think that's so sad."I hate it when you hear about carers attending a funeral and there being a four or five people there, I think that's so sad.
"People like him built this country.""People like him built this country."