Hero's send off for former Hartlepool soldier and Royal British Legion chairman after coronavirus-related death aged 84

The funeral service of John Neville, Stranton cemetery. Picture by FRANK REID

A number of ex-servicemen and organisations turned out to pay their respects to John Neville who saw service overseas with the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) regiment in the 1950s.

He sadly died on April 24 aged 84 at Sheraton Court care home with coronavirus and had also battled cancer.

A good number of ex-servicemen paraded with standards at John’s funeral held outside at Stranton Cemetery to allow social distancing to be observed.

His coffin was draped in the union flag representing his military service and also as a former proud chairman of both the Hartlepool branch of the Royal British Legion and DLI Light Infantry and Rifles branch.

John’s son Richard Neville said of the service: “It was the best send off you can imagine. It was absolutely fantastic with all the DLI members and standard bearers and the union flag on his coffin.

“The DLI soldiers all kept their distance and saluted as we carried the coffin up the road to the cemetery.”

Born on June 9, 1935, John was called up for National Service in August 1956. He was posted to Egypt with the DLI during the Suez crisis.

A bugler and ex-servicemen at the funeral service of John Neville, Stranton cemetery. Picture by FRANK REID

He was demobbed in 1958 only to be recalled to Libya in North Africa with the King’s Royal Rifles Corps, before finally leaving the Army in January 1959.

Paul Allen, current chairman of the Hartlepool DLI branch, said: “It was a good tribute to him and the family were over the moon by it.

“There were around nine standard bearers present including from the British Legion, DLI, Yorkshire regiment and RAF Association.”

After the Army, John worked as a steel erector for various companies in Hartlepool and abroad.

He married Elsie and they had sons Michael, Jeffrey, Paul and Richard, and daughter Julie.

Paul, a vicar, conducted the funeral service which was broadcast live on social media to Julie in South Africa and Michael in Torquay.

John was also a grandfather of eight and great-grandfather of seven.

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