Ex-marines give beloved 99-year-old WW2 veteran an emotional farewell

Born and bred in Leigh, Ken Preter had his first experience of the war after clearing bodies from the bomb-battered rubble in Liverpool, aged just 16.

Ken was then conscripted to defend Nazi advances in Iceland and later to Australia in anticipation of an invasion of Japan. It was on a clean-up operation in Japan where Ken saw evidence of things he "wouldn't wish on his worst enemy".

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Ken receiving his war medals with Compassion in Action’s Pam Gilligan, veterans and cadets (Image: Compassion in Action)

Working as a cable engineer after the war, Ken lived a happy life with his Dora, and raised her child as his own after her husband had died in the war.

After Dora's untimely death aged just 42, Ken continued to raise her son, also named Ken, for the rest of his life.

Later becoming a double amputee due to blood circulation issues and a "horrible wheelchair accident", Ken was a frequent and popular member of local veteran groups, and familiar with many people across Leigh.

A military presence helped give the veteran an emotional send off (Image: Leigh Journal)

After a long and happy life, the veteran sadly passed away in July and his funeral took place at Howe Bridge Crematorium on Wednesday, August 9.

With a biker escort and a large military presence attending the funeral to pay their respects, it was said that Ken was a "genuinely nice man who never had a bad word to say about anyone".

Former marines came to pay their respects to Ken (Image: Leigh Journal)

Peter Deluce, 59, who served in the Army between 1985 and 1993, said: "I met Ken around 12 years ago at a veterans charity event, and although there's a big difference in age, he became my best friend.

"He didn't speak much about the war, but because I was also a veteran, he told me what he went through and I would just come to his house to listen to his stories.

"Some of the things he saw he said he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy, and he kept them to himself for years. With all the things he experienced you really could write a book about his life.

"He ploughed all his love and affection into his son Kenneth, and he had a smile I will remember for as long as I live.

"I was proud to have known him."

Ken Preter and Peter Deluce (Image: Peter Deluce)