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HERO'S SEND-OFF
Hundreds of mourners pay their respects to WW2 hero Peter Brown at official RAF funeral after Sun appeal
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HUNDREDS of mourners gathered today for the official RAF funeral of WW2 hero Peter Brown.
They answered a Sun appeal to remember the veteran after he died alone aged 96 last December, with no known relatives.
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So many wanted to pay respects that his funeral in March was postponed to find a larger venue.
It was moved to the RAF church of St Clement Danes in Westminster, which was partially bombed during WWII, where his neighbours and family came to say goodbye this morning.
The funeral was slightly delayed as Peter's hearse got caught up in Chelsea Flower Show traffic.
Lancaster bomber radio operator Peter came to the UK from Jamaica as a teenager and was one of the last of those who came to be remembered as the “Pilots of the Caribbean”.
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The funeral service will be followed by a private committal from his friends, neighbours and relatives.
Long-lost cousin Brooke Alexander, 31, flew in to attend among 500 mourners including representatives of the Armed Forces and the Jamaican High Commission.
And another three members of his family - believed to be on Peter's paternal side - flew in from Vancouver, Canada too.
Rosie, Michael and Brian Bird saw appeals in the newspapers and got in touch with the RAF after they recognised Peter.
Rosie told The Sun: "When I heard, I just knew it was him, I knew it was someone from our family.
"I feel like I know him."
Michael paid tribute to The Sun for helping spread the word, saying: "He's getting a good send-off today because you guys blew this up."
Melvyn Caplan gave a moving tribute to Peter, where he told how the veteran had boasted about living in Warrington Crescent, North London, "longer than anyone else".
And his touching words caused a ripple of laughter in the historic church as he said of the huge cricket fan: "What a great innings.
"He nearly reached the century but got caught in the 90s."
Peter, who came to the UK aged just 17, served on Lancaster Bomber planes as a wireless operator.
He served five missions during the war in Tripoli, Egypt and Malta, before leaving to return to his native Jamaica after the war.
He was one of 450 black veterans from the West Indies who fought for the allies to help us win the war.
But he didn't stay long working in coconut production before he came back to England, going back into the RAF as a signaller, and later working in the civil service.
Melvyn described him as a "quiet, thoughtful man" who never spoke much about his time in the forces, except for snippets of conversations.
But he came out of his shell when speaking to neighbour Julian's 8-year-old son.
Peter was a huge fan of the late Queen Elizabeth, and he dubbed them "twins" as they were born in the same year.
He was terribly impacted by her death last year and wished he could have seen her lying in state.
Melvyn recalled - as The Sun has reported - how he used to travel to his local newsagents every day for a Cadbury's Dairy Milk, to pick up a copy of the paper.
But he was independent until the end, and regularly refused help from people around him, saying he was more than capable of coping on his own.
He remembered: "He was a gracious, private man. He didn't like to be fussed over. He had that old fashioned charm, and politeness, and though some of his clothes had seen better days, he always looked snappy."
Though he most certainly would have complained about all the fuss, he added: "no one served this more than you. We thank and salute you, Fl Sg Peter Brown. Rest in peace. What a man."
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A memorial plaque is also to be installed on his favourite bench near his home in Maida Vale, West London.
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Phil Turvey, of Anglia Research Services — which helped find Peter’s family — said: “We’re so pleased with this result.
“Peter’s family in Jamaica will now be able to attend his funeral and pay their respects along with so many others”
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