Funeral of Bomber Command signaller

[ricardian]

From Paul Capper (Funeral Director):
George Peter Osborne died in Southampton General Hospital on the 20th January 2019 aged 96 years. Sadly his executor died a month previously.
Two friends are arranging his funeral for Thursday 14th February at The East Chapel of Southampton Crematorium at 09.45hrs.
Whilst looking through a photograph album of his it turns out that he was, according to the RAF Museum in London, a signaller in Bomber Command Air Crew.
There is, so far, 2 people attending his funeral, is there anyone out there that could help to swell the ranks and give this brave hero who has no family a fitting send-off?
Paul Capper, Eastleigh's Independent Funeral Directors 023 8061 2444

[Chugalug2]

Southampton/Eastleigh RAFA Branch , Master Builder, Swaythling Road West End, Southampton, Hampshire, SO30 3AH, United Kingdom

RAFA enquiries tel 01162665224

Short notice but I would think that they would want to turn out to honour their comrade perhaps with the Standard to dip in salute.

Apologies for gobbledygook, not in the editing version.

[ricardian]

More information plus B&W photographs of WW2 aircraft & aircrew (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-47225587)

[GordonR_Cape]

BBC reports huge turnout: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-47236570

More than 350 people attended the service at the East Chapel, funeral director Paul Capper said.

[langleybaston]

Must be dust in the air.

Well done everyone who made this possible, and those who attended.

[cynicalint]

While I really admire those who make an effort to give a good send-off, I am always rather sad that these lonely individuals do not see the kindness and camaraderie whilst they are alive. The support charities do such a wonderful job, but do not have the finances or manpower to get to see all these ex-service personnel when they really need it. I wonder of there is any way of identifying these lonely people before they die. However, I think everything that can be done at the moment is being done. and done well, but folks like this gentleman will always fall through the safety net, It still makes me feel sad.

[Chugalug2]

Easier said than done, cl. They have an irritating habit of self disparagement. Thus their service often only comes to light when they have passed on, having survived their friends and family, thanks to the assiduous efforts of the likes of Paul Capper, George Osborne's undertaker.

Perhaps Mr Osborne would have preferred it this way. His generation was raised on their sense of duty rather than their rights. The tribute of the younger generations as expressed at this funeral acknowledges the debt we owe to Mr Osborne and the millions who served with him. I suspect that would have sufficed for him.

[ricardian]

This appeared in Facebook from a chap who attended the funeral

"I went guys. It was a fitting send off. There must have been two or three hundred people there. He had a guard of honour from some RAF officers in uniform and some RMP's. Standing room only outside the crem and a lovely service broadcast on a PA to the thirty or so of us stood outside."

[Tankertrashnav]

The Times columnist Libby Purves made a similar point to yours a few weeks ago, cynicalint. Whether somebody is ex-service or not is immaterial in my book - it is a sad indictment of our society that any old person should have to end their days in this solitary fashion. Mrs TTN used to be a Samaritan, and they had a few "regulars" who basically used to call for a chat, old people who had probably not spoken to anyone else that day. Strictly it was misusing the system as the callers were not suicidal, but the group reckoned that by just listening and talking they may well be forestalling future problems of that sort.