British WWII veteran, 94, who survived five years as a POW tragically dies alone with no family or friends in Australia – before hundreds of strangers vow to come together for his funeral at his local RSL
- A British WWII veteran, 94, died alone in South East Queensland in February
- The Ipswich RSL Sub Branch organised a funeral service for the prisoner of war
- Brian Fortune served in the 6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry Regiment
- Hundreds of mourners are expected to attend the funeral service on March 9
A British World War II veteran who was held captive in Nazi-occupied Poland before dying alone in Australia will be farewelled by hundreds of strangers at his local RSL.
Brian Fortune, believed to be 94, died on February 11 in the Ipswich Hospital in South East Queensland with no family or loved ones by his side.
Ipswich RSL Debbie Wardell said she was contacted by the hospital after the little-known serviceman passed away.
‘We were asked if there was anything the RSL could do for him,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I said of course we can provide a poppy service and try, within our resources, to contact any family members.’
British World War II veteran Brian Fortune (pictured) will be farewelled in a funeral service of hundreds after he died alone at Ipswich Hospital in South East Queensland on February 11
Ms Wardell was unable to locate any family members, but discovered Mr Fortune served with the 6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry Regiment as a private in World War II.
He joined the British Army in 1939, before being injured and captured in France and taken to Nazi-occupied Poland just before the Battle of Dunkirk in May 1940.
It’s understood Mr Fortune was a prisoner of war for five years, but it’s unclear how or when he came to be in Australia.
As of June last year, the veteran was living at the Bundaleer Nursing Home in Ipswich where he eventually fell ill and passed away.
A manager from the Bundaleer Lodge said that they did not have many pictures of Mr Fortune as he was ‘quite a private person’ who ‘stayed in his room’.
Ms Wardwell said that the RSL were ‘honoured’ to host a funeral for Mr Fortune.
The Ipswich RSL Sub Branch (pictured) were contacted to organise a funeral for Mr Fortune
‘Part of the RSL objective is to assist all veterans not just members of the RSL. He wasn’t a member but that doesn’t matter,’ Ms Wardwell said.
‘We wanted to encourage some veterans to attend so we put a little post up on Facebook,’ she said.
The post has since been shared 2000 times and reached people all around Australia and in the UK, with hundreds offering to give Mr Fortune a proper send-off.
‘Ipswich RSL sub branch are humbled and overwhelmed by the response to us organising his funeral,’ Ms Wardwell said.
The details for Mr Fortune’s funeral were shared 2000 times and saw veterans and members of the public from Australia and the UK offer to volunteer or attend the service (file image)
Offers to help flooded in to the RSL and Mr Fortune’s funeral will feature a volunteer Reveille, participation from British ex-servicemen as well as official mourners.
‘It important for us to have the British ex-soldiers be a part of Mr Fortune’s funeral,’ Ms Wardwell said.
Mr Fortune’s poppy service will be performed by the sub-branch’s vice president Michael Blaine.
Ms Wardwell said the response had been ‘overwhelming’ and the RSL was expecting over 200 people to attend the funeral service.
‘All we wanted to do was help this veteran and it’s just gone viral and we’re so humbled by people’s reactions,’ she said.
The Ipswich RSL Sub Branch are encouraging all veterans and members of the public to attend Mr Fortune’s funeral on March 9 at Goodna Crematorium.
The RSL Sub Branch are expecting over 200 people to attend the March 9 funeral (file image)