The funeral for 100-year-old RAF Veteran Oswald Dixon took place on the October 9 at the Agecroft Cemetery and Crematorium in Swinton.

Oswald Dixon. Image Credit: Jack McKinnell.

Service men and women across the country gathered at the cemetery on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the life of Mr Dixon, who served in the RAF during WW2 as a flight mechanic.

Broughton House, who had been looking after Mr Dixon since 2015, put out a plea earlier this month asking for people to attend the veteran’s funeral as he had no living family.

However, what was meant to be a sad rainy day for the people at Broughton House soon turned into a gathering of ‘brothers-in-arms’, with service men and women from as far as London attending the funeral.

One RAF Veteran, John Pearce, said: “It’s a bond that is there forever. We are all brothers and sisters together”.

The unity of service men and women was apparent from the vast sea of blue RAF uniforms, as well as veterans carrying flags of their own regiment.

Image Credit: Jack McKinnell.

Mr Dixon, known for his ‘gentle, ensuring personality with a wicked sense of humour and impeccable manners’, became loved by many at the Broughton House, with many seeing and sharing their post to get as many people to celebrate the veteran’s life.

Trevor Jones, the Brexit candidate for Bolton, said: “We’ve got 300 to 400 people here today to show respect for what this man did”.

Despite the downpour on the day, hundreds of service men and women, as well as members of the public attended the funeral giving Mr Dixon the send off he deserved.

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