Funeral of Scotland's oldest man, Walter Sharp of Camelon

The funeral of Camelon man Walter Sharp drove through the streets of the village where he was born and lived all his life earlier today.

He died peacefully in Forth Valley Royal Hospital on August 19 – 12 days after his 106th birthday.

Walter’s birthday marked

Prior to the funeral service at Falkirk Crematorium, the hearse passed through the streets of Camelon where until recently Walter could regularly be seen walking his West Highland Terrier Harry.

He was 26 when he joined the Royal Army Ordnance Corp during World War Two and saw action all over Europe, including the beaches of France at D-Day in 1944.

For this he was awarded the Chevalier in the Ordre National de la Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest honour, at a service in Edinburgh in 2015, to add to his Africa Star and other medals awarded during his Army service.

Remembering D-Day

After the war he returned to work in Carmuirs Iron Works before getting a job as a storeman at Walter Alexander.

He was latterly known as the “oldest paperboy” when, aged 100, he was still picking up and delivering newsapers, including The Falkirk Herald, to neighbours in Carmuirs Avenue.

Walter is survived by his son Brian and daughter-in-law Catherine.

Today those neighbours came out to bid a final farewell to the oldest Mariner.

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