Hero marine to get the funeral he deserves
A SCOTS-born Royal Marines veteran is getting the send-off he deserves thanks to the support of two Armed Forces charities who were determined he would not be forgotten.
With no family nearby, it was feared John Harley Campbell, known as Ian, who died aged 78 on July 14, would be given an environmental health funeral from Portsmouth City Council, meaning that he would have an unmarked grave.
But the Royal Marines Association together with Forgotten Veterans UK have stepped in to ensure that he’s properly honoured.
Hayley Thornhill, a funeral arranger at Paulsgrove’s Forever Together Funeral Care branch, is helping to organise his final journey. She said: “It’s a lovely thing to do – these two charities have stepped in and made sure that he gets the honour that he deserves as a Royal Marines veteran.
“It’ll be a funeral with full military honours, and we’re hoping to have a Royal Marines bugler playing and maybe a bagpiper.”
People who knew Ian – who had lived in Portsmouth for decades – said he was a “very proud Scotsman”’ and was a great fan of Billy Connolly and Johnny Cash. The funeral will take place on August 24 at Portchester Crematorium.
Ian, who served in Ireland, Burma, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia, died alone in the Queen Alexandra hospital.
The Forgotten Veterans charity has worked with Portsmouth Council and the Royal Marines Association to find family and friends but his only distant relatives appear to live in Canada.