It use to be that more than 100 veterans would turn up at an annual reunion dinner. According to one remaining veteran, Graham Madeiros, there were only six at the last one.

Sadly, yet another old solider, John Southern, 86, faded away on Victory in Europe day, May 8.

Royal Gazette reporter Jessie Moniz went to interview Mr. Southern only a week before.

Unfortunately, Mr. Southern was unable to help with the article due to Alzheimer's, and the article featured Richard Gorham instead.

Mr. Southern was given a Bermuda Regiment send off last Saturday at St. John's Church in Pembroke.

In a brief taped interview three months ago with the Bermuda Maritime Museum, Mr. Southern said he chose to go overseas because times were hard in Bermuda.

"We were better off in the army," he said. "We had three meals a day."

Mr. Southern served with Mr. Madeiros in Company A of the Second Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment.

"We were called 'muckers'," said Mr. Madeiros. "It was an English expression meaning best friends. Whenever we saw each other we referred to other as muckers. Whenever we were on manoeuvres we were always together."

Mr. Madeiros and Mr. Southern went with the Lincolnshire Regiment to France, Belgium, Germany and Holland.

"One of the battles were were in was called Winnendonk," said Mr. Madeiros. "Another was at Venraij. That was quite a battle. We had 900 men in there and we lost 323. We went through some pretty hard times. I was shook up there for awhile. I am getting over it."

Mr. Madeiros said when he came out of battle and saw John the two of them would crack jokes like, 'are you still alive?'

"I can remember one episode of John during the winter months, John had suffered from trench feet due to frost bite," Mr. Madeiros said. "He went to the company commander and said he needed to go to the hospital. They said we can't send any transport. John had to crawl all the way back on his hands and knees. Luckily he got over it.

"We were both very fortunate because we never got wounded, only slightly wounded. We were two of the war veterans who never missed a battle.

"I was fortunate and I went through it all. Whenever we were together we went together on patrol and we always got back somehow or other. I guess our turn hadn't come.

Mr. Southern and Mr. Madeiros were demobbed in 1946 and returned to Bermuda. Mr. Southern lived on Knapton Hill in Smith's Parish, and worked for Goslings for many years.

He leaves behind a daughter, Adele Bennett and a sister, Marion. He is predeceased by his wife Helen.

Mrs. Bennett, who lives in Spain, thanked those who helped arrange the funeral for her particularly the Pearman Funeral Home and Malcolm Gosling Snr.

She also paid tribute to the Bermuda Regiment.

"John was a loyal war veteran and you all gave him a good send off. Many thanks to his war veteran pals that stood on parade. It was a very touching moment felt by all. John would have been so proud of you all."