Joseph – known as Joe to friends and family – was involved in the liberation of France, for which he received the Légion d’honneur military honour from the French Government.
He died on December 16, leaving a daughter Patricia Lohan, son-in-law Richard, three grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Joseph was married to Margaret for 58 years. She died in 2008.
Veterans, the Lord Mayor of York and the leader of City of York Council gathered at the Minster yesterday morning (Wednesday, January 22) to remember Joseph before he is laid to rest in Worsley, Greater Manchester, today.
Joseph, who grew up in the Greater Manchester area but settled in York five years ago, served as a stoker in the Royal Navy after signing up in 1943 at the age of 18.
During the Second World War, he was involved in the Marseille landings – an operation in the south of France that acted as a diversion to draw attention away from the Normandy operation.
He went on to serve in Operation Shingle at Anzio, in Italy, which led to the liberation of Rome.
Minster Canon, Reverend Eleanor Launders-Brown – herself a Royal Navy veteran – said Joseph was a hero.
“Like so many, Joe quietly served his country, looked out for his ship mates, and managed to survive the untold horrors of the war. He returned a bona-fide hero,” Rev Launders-Brown said in her sermon.
In the navy, she said, a bell was rung every half hour so by the time eight bells were counted the watch was over.
YOU’LL FIND MORE ON THIS STORY AND OTHERS AT www.yorkpressd.co.uk OR PICK UP YOUR COPY OF THE NEWSPAPER ITSELF AVAILABLE SIX DAYS A WEEK AT YOUR LOCAL NEWSAGENT
A SIDE road close to a major development in York is closed this week.
A riverside path in York has closed due to "structural damage".
