The RAF today carried out a flypast over the funeral of a 101-year-old Dambusters engineer and his WAAF veteran wife who died ten days apart over Christmas.
Victor and Edna Barnett, from Shropshire, passed away after 68 years of marriage without any children or living relatives - today 400 people from all over the country descended on Telford Crematorium
Their deaths sparked action from the RAF who called for people to attend their funeral and hundreds arrived to celebrate their lives as they took their final journey together.
Mr Barnett, also known as VJ, met his wife Edna, who worked in the air traffic control for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force in 1944 and after marrying in 1950 they lived a long and happy life.
Today their Union Flag-draped coffins were carried by servicemen and women from the RAF as veterans and serving members of Armed Forces lined the route with heads bowed.
In the sky above a Juno helicopter carried out a flypast in a tribute to the work Mr and Mrs Barnett did to keep Britain safe during the Second World War.
Around 400 people, including representatives from the RAF, Army and Navy, gave Victor and Edna a full military funeral.
A flypast of a Juno helicopter as coffins arrive for the funeral of 101-year-old Dambusters engineer Victor and his wife Edna Barnett
The couple had no family but hundreds turned out to say farewell at Telford Crematorium this morning
Victor (left) and Edna Barnett (right), from Telford, Shropshire, met in the air force and were married for 68 years but died just ten days apart
Mr Barnett joined the RAF in 1937 and worked on the first radar system that detected German planes during the Battle of Britain.
The order of service where the congregation celebrated the couple's extraordinary lives
The war hero then went on to help prep Lancaster bombers for the Dambusters raid on German dams in 1943.
He even went on to befriend 'bouncing bomb' inventor Barnes Wallis, whose genius helped smash Nazi water defences in the Ruhr Valley, helping turn the war.
But sadly Mr Barnett died on December 21 after 68 years of marriage with his wife dying just 10 days later on New Year's Eve.
Squadron Leader Chris Wilson, of RAF Cosford, said: 'It's been an amazing turnout.
'It's nice to see so many members of the public who have answered the call that we put out on social media.
'People have come from Shropshire, the West Midlands and further afield to make sure Victor and Edna have a good turnout to their funeral.
You can hope for a big turn out, because you want as many people to come out as possible, but to stand here now to see that everybody is listening to speakers outside, it's perfect. It's such a lovely thing for Victor and Edna.
'I always say that once you're in the Royal Air Force, you're always part of the Royal Air Force family.
'Funerals are usually very private affairs, they're family affairs, so we don't get to come to them unless we're invited. To find these two wonderful people who did so much for their country but had no surviving family, this was the least we could do to try and make sure they were looked after.'
Mourner Les Smith, 67, who lives in Shifnal, said: 'I had to come and see them off. I saw the story in the paper and wanted to do my bit to make sure they got the send off they deserved.
'They were together for such a long, and it's so sad that they died within a few weeks of one another, but I like to think they would have been happy with how many people are here today.'
Victor and his wife Edna were both working for the RAF helping fight Nazi Germany when they became a couple and fell in love
Members of the Armed Forces march to the hearses and each coffin were carried into the crematorium on the shoulders of six current service personnel
A sombre group of servicewomen carry the coffin belonging to Mrs Barnett as she takes her final journey
Around 400 people, including representatives from the RAF, Army and Navy, gave Victor and Edna a full military funeral
Veterans carrying banners representing their regions of the UK also attended the funeral in Telford this morning
Jonathan Thompson, 40, travelled 190 miles from his home in Whitby, North Yorks., to attend the funeral.
He said: 'My grandfather was in the RAF and he always regarded life in the military as belonging to a family.
'He died last year but when I read the tweet from RAF Cosford last week I knew I had to do him proud and be here in his place.
'I'm enormously proud to be here and although I never met Victor or Edna, their contributions to the military should be recognised and honoured.'
RAF Cosford is planning to send servicemen to bear their coffins on a funeral on Tuesday after a friend informed them of their death.
RAF Cosford tweeted an appeal on Thursday. They wrote: 'There will be a service at Telford Crematorium for Victor (VJ) & Edna Barnett on Tue 22 Jan at 10.00 am.
'VJ was a radar technician on 617 Sqn and Edna was a WAAF air traffic controller. They died within 10 days of each other and have no surviving family.'
The tweet has already received an overwhelming response from users , with some offering to attend with cadets and others planning to travel across the country.
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Main photo article The RAF today carried out a flypast over the funeral of a 101-year-old Dambusters engineer and his WAAF veteran wife who died ten days apart over Christmas.
Victor and Edna Barnett, from Shropshire, passed away after 68 years of marriage without any children or living relatives – today 400 ...
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Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
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