THE family and friends of a 96-year-old D-Day veteran who died last month of coronavirus are hoping military personnel and veterans will form a guard of honour at his funeral.
Raymond, who was born in Prescot in 1923, joined the 1st Battalion of the South Lancashire regiment in September 1942 and was part of the first wave landing on Sword Beach, Normandy on June 6, 1944.
Colourised picture of Ray and other troops on D-Day
He saw action in France, Holland and Belgium and finished up in Croatia.
He was demobbed in 1948 and returned to St Helens, where he set up as a pig farmer before going on to work at Greenalls brewery.
After his wife Violet died some years ago, and after a period of frail health, Raymond, who was awarded France's highest honour the Legion d'Honneur in June 2019, moved to Colliers Croft care home in Haydock.
However last month, on May 23, Ray died of coronavirus in Whiston Hospital.
Ray
His cousin Ian Sutton, 51, who lives in Haydock and is also an army veteran, said: "Ray was a cheeky chappy with a great smile and well known to veterans across St Helens.
"Recently he wanted to tell his story, especially as he was the only person left alive at the time from the South Lancs Regiment, and slowly over many weeks he told me his story - which he did not always tell others often.
"He actually died on the day his completed book Ray Rush - Last Man Standing, was sent to the publishers and it will be available in a week.
Ray during the war
"He was a great man and will be missed by so many.
"In normal circumstances I know so many would come out to show their respects, but with coronavirus that cannot happen.
"However I'm hoping people, particularly military people and servicemen and women past and present, if they are not shielding, will do a guard of honour for him outside St Helens Crematorium while adhering to the safe distancing.
Pictures from the Second World War
"He lived through so much, it would be lovely to do that tribute to him.
"We are also hoping to raise funds to put up a lasting memorial to not only Ray but to the South Lancs Regiment, which dies with him.
"They were involved in D-Day and Ray was the only one left, so it would be great to remember them."
The funeral details will be published at a later date, but it will take place at St Helens Crematorium.
The emblem of the South Lancs regiment - of which Ray was the last surviving member
Ray's book Ray Rush - Last Man Standing will be made available to purchase next week.
To donate towards a statue in memory of Ray and others in the South Lancs Regiment go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ian-sutton
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