Crowds of veterans and service personnel gather for the funeral of hero who had been one of the last-surviving WW2 paratroopers – after answering his family’s appeal to attend

• Herbert ‘Herbie’ Samuel Bray, from Mullion, Cornwall, died in October, aged 97

Dozens of veterans gave a hero’s send-off to one of Britain’s last-surviving Second World War paratroopers after a desperate plea by his family to attend his funeral. 

Trailblazing Herbert ‘Herbie’ Samuel Bray, from Mullion, Cornwall, died in October, aged 97. 

His grandson, Jordan Jane, 26, had asked veterans to attend and described the former Para as a ‘remarkable man and soldier’ whose life ‘served the country’.

Herbert’s funeral took place at Mullion Parish Church after a procession Mullion, with serving and former personnel, wearing their uniforms and medals, among those turning out to pay their respects. 

Mr Bray joined the war in 1944 aged 18, after his brother Billy was killed in action, going on to serve at the Rhine crossing and then in Palestine as a paratrooper.  

Herbert ‘Herbie’ Samuel Bray photographed during his service days as a paratrooper in WW2

Dozens of people attended the paratrooper’s funeral today in Cornwall 

Veterans from the Parachute Regiment and the Royal Marines marched behind Mr Bray’s casket

Others, including personnel from the Royal Navy, gathered with veterans outside Mullion Parish Church

Paying tribute to Herbie, Jordan told mourners: ‘We lost a great man, the strongest man I’ve ever met, a Second World War paratrooper…Grandad Herbie will always be in my heart, my absolute hero.’

Six standards flew in honour of the Second World War hero as the funeral procession made its way to the local church.

His casket was adorned with the flag of the Parachute Regiment, with Herbie’s medals and his iconic maroon beret resting on top. 

A guard of honour lined up outside the church saluted the war hero as he passed them.  

Herbie had lived in the village most of his life and had captained Mullion Football Club after returning home from service.

Tom French, of the Cornwall branch of the Parachute Regiment, said: ‘He was Cornish through and through. He was just a really nice unassuming fella.’ 

Six standards flew in honour of the Second World War hero as the funeral procession made its way to the local church.

 Herbert Samuel Bray (top second left) photographed with his paratrooper regiment during WW2

Mr Bray (pictured here with his wife, Rita), died recently aged 97 and the community have been invited to attend his funeral 

Mr Bray joined the war in 1944 aged 18, serving at the Rhine crossing and then in Palestine as a paratrooper. Pictured (from R): Herbert Bray, wife Rita, and grandson Ben at Trebah Garden Cornwall’s military day

His casket was adorned with the flag of the Parachute Regiment, with Herbie’s medals and his iconic maroon beret resting on top.

Jordan had previously appealed to ex military and current military to ‘remember one of the last surviving WWII paratroopers with a military procession led by a bagpiper followed by funeral and wake in Mullion’.

He said: ‘Grandad was our hero as kids and still is now, he was humble, loyal and an all round top man.

‘He was an inspiration to us always and his stories of the war were incredible to hear. He looked after us a lot as kids and always took us on trips, we were his world and you could really tell that.’

He had asked that soldiers, sailors and RAF personnel wear their uniforms ‘in honour of a life served to the country’.

Jordan added: ‘He was humble, loyal and an all round top man. His stories of the war were incredible to hear.’

Herbert Samuel Bray (centre) pictured during his time as captain for Mullion FC

Herbert ‘Herbie’ Samuel Bray (second right) photographed with servicemen during his service days as a paratrooper in WW2

Mr Bray is carried into Mullion Parish Church, in Cornwall on Tuesday, November 7

The veteran’s funeral comes days before Britain unites to honour its fallen military heroes for Remembrance Sunday, this week. 

The Parachute Regiment were formed in 1942 as Britain’s way of dropping elite troops behind German lines. 

The ‘Paras’ earned their reputation for daring during missions in North Africa, Normandy, Arnhem the Rhine crossing. 

Since then, the regiment has served in almost every other war Britain has been involved in. 

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