Public send-off for hero Harry

FUNERAL details have been released for mourners who would like to pay tribute to war hero and avid fundraiser Harry Billinge, who died last week.

A public funeral in Cornwall has been arranged for the D-Day veteran, whose tireless work helped to establish a lasting memorial in Normandy to those who lost their lives retaking mainland Europe from the Nazis.

Horace Billinge (pictured below) – known as Harry – passed away at home following a short illness on April 5. He became a well-known face around his home town of St Austell and far beyond, due to his unwavering devotion to his comrades who were lost during D-Day.

The veteran raised thousands of pounds in his lifetime and achieved his lifelong dream of seeing the creation of a D-Day memorial just last year, saying he would continue to “tell that story until the day [he] dies”.

Tributes poured in for Harry, following news of his death, describing him as “a hero, plain and simple”.

His public funeral will be held at 11am on Tuesday, April 26, at St Paul’s Church in Charlestown. This will be followed by a cremation for immediate family only. The wake will be held by St Austell Brewery at its visitors centre on Trevarthian Road between 1pm and 11pm.

The brewery will also be making a special beer in Harry’s memory to be served on the day and it is inviting suggestions for what the beer should be named.

Paying tribute to Harry, the Royal British Legion said on April 5: “Man Down. I am saddened to inform you that our brother, Horace ‘Harry’ Billinge, has passed away this morning at home. Harry, a veteran of the ‘D’ Day landings and orchestrator of the Normandy memorial, which he got to see recently with his family, shortly after receiving his MBE from the HM The Queen. RIP Harry.”

John Maher wrote: “I am personally saddened to inform you that our Commando brother Horace ‘Harry’ Billinge has passed away this morning at home. I was fortunate to have met our ‘Harry’ on a few occasions and loved his company, listening to his stories. He was a bundle of fun and a pleasure to have known. Harry leaves his wife Sheila and daughter Margot. Harry also had twin children, Sally Billinge-Shandley and Christopher Billinge.