Huge turn-out for funeral of war veteran
Hundreds gather to say farewell to WWII veteran after social media appeal
Hundreds of caring strangers have turned out to pay their respects to a WWII soldier who died with no family members.
Hundreds of kind-hearted strangers turned out to pay their respects to a WWII solider who died with no family members.
Former Burniston resident Richard ‘Dick’ Norris, a soldier who fought in the famous Battle of El Alamein, died at the age of 97 two weeks ago.
Around 200 people filled All Saints Parish Church in Driffield, on Monday October 17, and a guard of honour was performed outside after a social media appeal was launched to find mourners.
Members of the public, veterans and military association standards were in attendance - including a number of regiments of the Royal Tank Regiment Association, different branches of the the Royal British Legion (RBL), the Royal Armed Forces and the Prince of Wales Own Yorkshire Regiment.
Paul Ramsay, who is the branch secretary of the Scarborough branch of the Royal Tank Regiment Assocation, said: “I wasn’t surprised by the turnout today. Social media has changed everything. But, I also expected a good turnout because that is what military people do - we are a family. Dick would be extremely proud, especially because members of his regiment were here.”
Robin Ellwood, who served in the RAF from 1971-1976 as an air photography operator, had taken two buses and a train to travel alone all the way from Darlington. The 63-year-old, who now works as an actor and is also a member of the RBL, said: “I am self employed and I had some free time today so it’s nothing to come here and pay my respects to the man.
“I probably could count on both hands how many people there were who actually knew him in there - two friends and five carers.”
Mr Norris, born in Leeds, joined his local Territorial Army group in 1939. He fought Rommel’s Afrika Korps at the Battle of El Alamein in 1942 in Egypt.
He was then stationed with the 8th Army in Egypt before moving to Palestine as an instructor in the base workshops with the rank of Staff Sergeant.
After the war, he returned to his role as a type operator with the Yorkshire Post newspaper.
Mr Norris moved north to Burniston in 1969 where he lived until 1994. During his time in North Yorkshire he worked at Dale Electric (now Dale Power Solutions Ltd) at Eastfield Industrial Estate before moving to Arundale Garage in Scarborough where he was in charge of the workshop.
Following his retirement in 1994, Mr Norris moved back to Driffield to live in Taylors Field sheltered housing until he died on October 2. It is believed a second cousin of Mr Norris was also in attendance at the funeral, but they had never met.
‘I expected a good turnout. It is what military people do – we are a family’