Hundreds of people have asked to attend the funeral of Flt Sgt Peter Brown, seen here on his 93rd birthday
By Helena Wilkinson, Emily Selvadurai and Aurelia Foster
BBC News
Hundreds of people are expected to attend the funeral of a World War Two RAF airman from London.
Flt Sgt Peter Brown, originally from Jamaica, was one the last so-called “pilots of the Caribbean”, a group of Afro-Caribbean volunteer personnel who served in the RAF in the world wars.
He died in at his home in Maida Vale, north London, in December, aged 96.
His funeral will be held from 11:00 BST at the RAF’s Central Church, after a campaign for a “fitting send-off”.
Image source, Handout/Donna-Lee Tapper
Flt Sgt Brown volunteered to serve for the UK “in our hour of deepest needed”, according to the RAF reverend who will conduct the service
More than 500 people are expected to attend the service at St Clement Danes Church, Westminster, including members of the armed forces, representatives of the Caribbean community, friends and neighbours.
Brooke Alexander, a distant cousin, has flown to London from Jamaica for the service, having been tracked down by genealogists investigating Flt Sgt Brown’s life story.
Ms Alexander said it was “absolutely wonderful that Westminster, the RAF and everyone decided it was worth the effort to honour him in a way that is befitting”.
“It’s really amazing what they’re doing to recognise his contribution, to recognise his sacrifice and the contribution he made, not just to the UK, but to the world during such a pivotal time in history.”
Flt Sgt Brown’s funeral was originally going to be held at Mortlake Crematorium in south-west London in March.
However, organisers moved it after they were inundated with requests from the public to attend and neighbours campaigned for him to have a big send-off.
The neighbours told the BBC he rarely talked about his military service and, when he did, it was not in a “boastful” way.
One neighbour, Julian Futter, said he was amazed the funeral had turned into such a big occasion.
“We were just really keen he had a dignified and respectable send-off. We had no concept it would be at St Clement Danes. We just didn’t want him to be buried alone.”
He added the airman would be remembered on many levels.
“We knew him as Peter but, of course, he will be remembered as one of these incredibly brave men who flew a bomber at enormous risk to themselves.”
Flt Sgt Peter Brown’s neighbours described him as “a lovely, lovely guy”, “special”, and “a gentleman”
Peter Devitt, curator of the Royal Air Force Museum, told the BBC it was “both right and fitting” that Flt Sgt Brown’s funeral was being held at St Clement Danes, which was given to the RAF after World War Two.
Reverend (Group Commander) Ruth Hake, who will conduct the funeral, said it was important the service was held in the “spiritual home of the Royal Air Force”.
She added it would be a special service that “befits a very special individual who committed a huge amount of his life to serving this country”.
Distant cousin Brooke Alexander and Reverend (Group Commander) Ruth Hake have been preparing for the service at St Clement Danes Church
During the service, a reading will be delivered by the RAF’s commander, Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston. Some prayers will also be led by the Revd Michael King, son of Sam King, who established the Windrush Foundation.
Having left no known relatives, the job of organising Flt Sgt Brown’s funeral fell to his local authority, Westminster City Council.
Earlier this year, the council appealed to anyone related to the airman to make contact, and later said it had received an “overwhelming” response from people interested in the funeral.
Fascinated by his story, a team of genealogists from Anglia Research, based in Ipswich, later took on the task of investigating his past and tracing any living family members.
Half a dozen of his relatives are now due to attend the service, the council said.
Who was Flt Sgt Peter Brown?
Image source, Handout/Donna-Lee Tapper
The RAF says Flt Peter Sgt Brown is “an example of the selfless contribution of all Commonwealth personnel”
Few knew much about about Flt Sgt Peter Brown’s military service until after his death.
Born in Jamaica on 22 August 1926, he was one of 450 young black volunteers from the West Indies, Caribbean, Africa and parts of the UK who joined the RAF in World War Two and flew aircraft such as the Lancaster and Spitfire.
According to RAF records, he enlisted in the RAF Volunteer Reserve in September 1943 after travelling to the UK.
He trained as a wireless operator and air gunner, posted to RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire.
After the war ended, he re-enlisted in the RAF, working as a signaller.
Lisa Hill, a genealogist who researched Flt Sgt Brown’s past, said he had flown five missions in Lancaster bombers before the age of 20.
“His bravery speaks for itself,” she said.
She told the BBC that, having searched Jamaican newspaper archives, she found articles about him returning home to visit his mother.
“The warmth with which he is remembered both by friends, neighbours, local shop owners and, most significantly, his family is striking,” she said.
He was passionate about cricket and, for 30 years until 2016, he was a member of Marylebone Cricket Club.
His neighbours said they used to hear him cheering at cricket matches in his flat.
Flt Sgt Brown lived alone. But, according to his neighbours, he was well-known in his community, well-supported and he was not lonely.
The funeral of Flt Sgt Peter Brown will be live-streamed on Westminster City Council’s website from 11:00 BST.
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