Scores of strangers turn up to veteran's funeral after care home's Facebook plea for mourners because he only had a handful of relatives

Ex-submariner Rodney 'Vic' Silvester had just a handful of cousins



Care home issued appeal after veteran, 67, lost his battle with cancer

Word spread via Submariners' Association and British Legion

Veteran would have been 'chuffed to bits' with the turn-out, his cousin said



A Navy veteran with just a handful of relatives has been given a packed funeral after a plea from staff at his care home.

Staff at Woodland Court residential care home in Portchester, Portsmouth, put out the appeal on Facebook for people to go to mourn Rodney 'Vic' Silvester and scores of people turned up.

They even found a bugler to sound the Last Post for Mr Silvester who lost his battle with cancer.

John Harper, his second cousin, said the veteran would have been 'chuffed to bits' with the turnout in Hampshire.



Rodney 'Vic' Silvester (pictured in his naval uniform), who died at the age of 67, had just a handful of living relatives



Turn-out: Scores of mourners turned out to pay their respects at Mr Silvester's funeral service after he lost his battle with cancer, despite never having met the veteran

Proud: Veterans packed into the funeral service for the former sailor after his care home put out a plea on Facebook

Care home staff contacted the Supporting Veterans in Care Facebook page amid fears just a handful of people would attend.

The British Legion and the Submariners' Association helped to spread the word, and on the day of the service Mr Silvester's coffin was followed by a steady stream of mourners as it was carried towards Fareham Cemetery.

His coffin was draped in a Union Flag and the bugler played as he was laid to rest.

Throughout his time in the Navy, Mr Silvester worked at HMS Dolphin and on submarines HMS Odin and HMS Dreadnought.

Mr Harper, from Bognor Regis, West Sussex, who attended with Rodney's first cousin Allan Cox, said: 'I think it is fabulous, absolutely superb.

'I didn’t expect such a large turn out, it’s brilliant. I would like to say thank you very much for everybody for turning out.

'Rod would have been chuffed to bits and so would his dad. He would have loved every bit of it.'

Mr Cox explained that Mr Silvester had four other cousins living around the country who would have attended the service had they had enough notice.



Fitting farewell: The British Legion and the Submariners' Association spread the word about the veteran's funeral service

Little was known about Mr Silvester before his death, as he had become withdrawn after his friends and some of his family passed away. He served in Australia and in the Antarctic.



Roy Dixon, from Gosport, Hampshire, who is a member of the Submariners’ Association, said he was proud to attend and pay his respects.

Mr Dixon said: 'We heard that Vic had passed and the information was very scant. '



The care home had struggled to contact some of the remaining members of the former sailor's family.



'So we decided that we would not let the side down, and do what we would always do and attend the funeral of a fellow submariner,' Mr Dixon said.



'I’m so pleased that the turn out is as good as this. There are people from all walks of Navy life, surface ships, bombers, diesel boats, there’s even a green beret here which is really something.'

Solemn occasion: Mr Silvester's second cousin John Harper described the response from the community as 'fabulous'

Send-off: Representatives from 'all walks of Navy life' attended the service at Fareham Cemetery in Hampshire

Staff from Mr Silvester’s care home, Woodland Court residential care home in Portchester, were also at his funeral.

One employee, Tamie Pye, said: 'He came out of his shell once he came to us. He was like a new man.'

Another, Lisa Smith, added: 'Vic kept himself to himself but he did like to have a good chat, especially about his navy days.'



Father Paul Miles-Knight, who led the service, said: 'It is amazing to see so many people here.



'At the start there was only going to be me and three others here but thanks to the wonders of the internet, the veterans got together.



'Mr Silvester would have been proud.'