Thousands share appeal for mourners at veteran’s funeral

Forty marines are expected to attend the funeral of a veteran after an appeal for mourners was shared thousands of times on Twitter.

Leach & Son funeral directors said Royal Marine David McLaren Kerr, who had been living in mid Wales, had no living family.

It asked members of the Royal British Legion to attend his funeral in Shrewsbury and the call spread.

Up to 60 guests are now expected to go later to pay their respects.

Richard Parkes, from the Newtown-based directors, said: "We were expecting one or two people to show up, but we knew he was a proud former marine and we thought it would be fitting to have some ex-soldiers present.

"It spiralled from there."

Mr McLaren Kerr, who had been living at care home Plas Cae Crwn, in Newtown, died on 7 September at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

His funeral is due to take place on Tuesday at 13:15 BST at Shrewsbury's Emstrey Crematorium.

Both the Newtown and Shrewsbury branches of the legion said they will have members attending, as will Shropshire's branch of armed forces charity SSAFA.

Among those attending is Phil Gilby, former corps Reg Sgt Maj in the Royal Marines, who will be travelling from Exmouth, after seeing the appeal on social media.

He said: "We will turn up, dress the coffin and try to give him as much of a military funeral as we can.

"The Royal Marines class ourselves as a family and we are taught to look after each other."