Facebook plea for 'no family' RAF veteran's funeral

John Davies was engaged during the war but a reposting to North Africa meant he lost touch with his betrothed

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.

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".

'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, who was also in the RAF and was just 19 when he was killed in the war."

A funeral for Mr Davies is due to be held at Magdalen Cemetery, Gorleston on Wednesday at 09:30 GMT

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.

"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."

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.

"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.

"People like him built this country."