Navy man gets proper burial after ID appeal

A SALFORD man who died alone has been given a Jewish burial after staff at Manchester’s Nicky Alliance Day Care Centre identified him as a regular attendee.

Wallace Cohen, 70, lived mostly estranged from the Jewish community in Lower Broughton. After falling ill last week, he called for an ambulance and was taken to Royal Salford Hospital, where he died.

He would have had a council burial had not Manchester Misaskim, a volunteer organisation for bereaved families, posted his name on social media.

The day centre’s Melissa Lowe recognised him and Nicky Alliance manager Avrom Baker was able to formally identify Mr Cohen, allowing the local coroner to release the body for a Jewish burial, which was paid for by a special Manchester Beth Din fund. Mr Cohen was buried at Rainsough in Prestwich on Friday.

“This is a sad story,” Mr Baker said. “He served in the Royal Navy but had a difficult life and had no family we were aware of.

“He came to the Nicky Alliance centre once a week, which was his only connection to the Jewish community. We were able to look after him in life and in death.”