Posted on 11/11/2013 2:27:49 AM PST by the scotsman
'Hundreds of people from across the UK have pledged to attend the funeral in Lancashire of a World War Two veteran they never knew.
Harold Jellicoe Percival served as ground crew on the famous Dambusters raids carried out in May 1943 by 617 Squadron.
Mr Percival who died last month aged 99, never married or had children.
The funeral home organising the service put an advert in a newspaper appealing for people to attend.
Mr Percival, who lived in Penge, south London, before joining Bomber Command, died in Alistre Lodge Nursing Home in Lytham St Annes in Lancashire.
Nursing home manager Lorraine Holt told BBC News she had been inundated with responses from people after the advert was reposted on social media sites.
"Late last night we had a call from a soldier on leave from Afghanistan who said he wanted to attend.
"Then an 80-year-old lady from London who served in the RAF called us to say she was attending.
"The response has been absolutely incredible.
"Our local police have been in touch asking if we need any traffic control on the day of his funeral after hearing how many people are due to attend.
"We're going to open the nursing home for anybody who wants to come after the service, but I'm not sure how we'll cope with so many people."'
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Giving war hero Harold the send-off he deserves: Hundreds of mourners to attend the funeral of Dambusters crew member, 99, who died alone in a nursing home
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We WILL remember him: Hundreds of strangers flock to Remembrance Day funeral of Bomber Command veteran who died alone aged 99
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