The coffin of RAF veteran Harold Percival is carried into Lytham Park Crematorium as hundreds of attendees watch on (Picture: Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

An RAF veteran who died with no close friends or relatives has been given a fitting and poignant send-off, after an online campaign saw hundreds of people attend his funeral, which was itself marked by the Dambusters theme being played as his coffin was carried into the chapel.

Up to 300 people attended the funeral of Harold Jellicoe Percival, who died last month aged 99, after a heartfelt plea from funeral directors.

Members of the public, veterans and service personnel gather to pay their respects to the serviceman as he is laid to rest (Picture: Lynne Cameron/PA)

Mr Percival lived a particularly ‘private and nomadic’ life, his nephew said, meaning he died with no spouse nor children and it was initially thought no family were able to attend.

RAF standard bearers prepare for the arrival of Harold Percival's coffin at Lytham Crematorium #lytham pic.twitter.com/vXTxNfJCfh — Steve Becker (@SteveBeckerHack) November 11, 2013

Poignantly, his funeral directors arranged to have the service on Remembrance Day at 11am to mark his service in RAF Bomber Command as ground crew during the Dambusters raid.


Harold Jellicoe Percival died last month aged 99 (Picture: PA)

The order of service for the funeral included prayers and an address from the reverend, as well as a committal and blessing.



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Speaking after the service, Mr Percival’s nephew Andre Collyer-Worsell, said: ‘It’s just staggering. It just shows how great the British public are. We were expecting a few people, a few local veterans but suddenly it snowballed. It’s the sort of send-off you would want to give any loved one. It’s very emotional.’

A floral tribute to Mr Percival as hundreds of strangers turned up to pay their respects (Picture: Darren Staples/Reuters)

Mr Percival died peacefully in a nursing home, and Edmund Jacobs, the funeral director, said: ‘I didn’t fancy the idea of an old serviceman going out on his last journey without any support.’

Lytham community choir will sing Jerusalem and Harold Percival's coffin will arrive to the Dambusters theme. pic.twitter.com/VjtpIvFanY — Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) November 11, 2013

A subsequent advert in a local newspaper to ask for attendees to his funeral encouraged many to go after it was highlighted by thousands of people on social media.

Harold Jellicoe Percival’s coffin was taken into the crematorium to the backdrop of the Dambusters theme (Picture: Darren Staples/Reuters)

Funeral directors have asked donations to be made to the RAF Benevolent Fund, benefactors of which will also attend the service.

Other attendees included Royal British Legion bikers and members of the Royal Air Force Association. The funeral is being held at Lytham Park Crematorium on Regent Avenue in St Annes, near Blackpool.

Bikers and military personnel turn up to pay their respects (Picture: Nigel Roddis/Getty)