101-year-old care home resident pays tribute to his father on the trip of a lifetime

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A 101-year-old Brookview Care Home resident has visited France and Belgium to pay his tributes to his own father who died at war.

Accompanied by his son and daughter and two grandchildren, Alan Coburn who has lived in the Bupa care home on Brook Lane in Alderley Edge for nine years, went on a memorial trip for his father who died in the First World War when Alan was just one year old.

Alan first travelled to Lille in France, and then to Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium where his father's name appears on the wall for all the allied soldiers that lost their lives in the Ypres battlefields. Unfortunately, his actual grave was never found.

Every day around 3,000 people attend a memorial service at the Menin Gate to remember those that fought and died in the war. Alan attended the service and laid a wreath in memory of his father.

The following day they visited his father's final resting place at Hollebeke, a nearby village in Belgium. Alan lit a candle and was extremely moved to be able to finally visit the place where his father died.

Alan's father, Charles Coburn was born in 1884 and went on to study at Oxford University in 1907. Before war broke out, Charles worked as a solicitor with his father, Alan's grandfather and had their own practice.

During the war Charles was a second lieutenant for the King's Royal Rifle Corps. He was killed in 1917, just 12 days before his 33rd birthday.

When Alan's father was killed, Alan was just one and his mother was pregnant with his younger brother who died 40 years ago in 1978.

Just as his father had, Alan fought for his country in the Second World War and was a flying officer in the RAF Isle of Man regiment. During his time in the RAF he had the opportunity to travel to the likes of Egypt, Palestine and Iraq.

Alan was a keen sportsman and believes that his active lifestyle has contributed to his old age. He was a member of the highly prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) which was founded in 1787 and remains the world's most active cricket club. Alan also played squash for his county of Nottinghamshire and later in life took up golf, which he continued to play well into his 90's.

Alan moved to up North to Prestbury in 1961 and then on to Wilmslow where he lived for 46 years and was a councillor for 11 years. He has lived at Brookview for nine years, first in his own apartment and now within the Bupa Care home.

Maureen Southern, general manager at Brookview says: "Alan had been looking forward to his trip for a long time and it did not disappoint. Being able to visit his father's resting place was very meaningful for Alan and it was so wonderful that he could attend a memorial service in the town where his father's plaque is."

"Everyone at the home was very keen to hear about the trip and of Alan's fascinating family history."

Tags:
Brookview, Brookview
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