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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 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". |
'Tragic life' | |
He lived his final years at The Gables care home in Gorleston, Norfolk, where deputy manager Julie Hayes remembered him as a "real gentleman". | |
"He hated TV, he called it the fools' lantern, but would write poetry and sing to us while wearing his top hat," she said. | |
Mr Davies had two brothers and two sisters, who all pre-deceased him, and never married. | |
"He had quite a tragic life," added Ms Hayes. | |
"He was supposed to meet his proposed wife in Malta, but then he was stationed in North Africa, so he missed his wedding. | |
"He never knew what happened to her. | |
"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 passed away at a care home in Great Yarmouth earlier this month. | |
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. | |
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." |