Oswald Dixon: Hundreds at 'no family' veteran's funeral

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-49985994

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Hundreds of people turned out for the funeral of a 100-year-old war veteran from Jamaica who had no family in the UK, after a plea from his care home.

Ex-RAF serviceman Oswald Dixon died on 25 September at Broughton House in Salford, Greater Manchester.

RAF Cadets and members of 34 Squadron carried the coffin into the chapel at Agecroft Cemetery.

His care home said Mr Dixon's "warm character will be missed".

A spokesperson for Broughton House said they wanted to thank everyone for showing "tremendous compassion and support".

"At his 100th birthday celebration, Oswald stated that he always tried to live life as it should be lived, by doing things for other people."

Chris Lindsay, the care home's chief executive, said: "His warm character will be missed by everyone."

Tony Bryan, who travelled from Cheltenham to pay his respects, said: "I didn't know him. It's not about the expense, it's not about the distance, I just had to be here."

Mr Dixon joined the RAF in Kingston, Jamaica, in November 1944 as a flight mechanic and moved to Britain before World War Two ended.

About 10,000 people left their families and homes in the Caribbean to join the British armed forces during the war.