Preston war hero, 105, with no relatives gets 3,000 birthday cards from strangers
A WW2 veteran from Lancashire with no surviving relatives today celebrated his 105th birthday with more 3,000 cards from kind-hearted strangers after a charity appeal.
The ex-staff sergeant served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers from 1940 to 1946, before settling in Preston where he worked for Vauxhall Motors. Remarkably, Ernest went on to take flying lessons at 43 and was a private pilot until the age of 93 when he couldn’t get insured. He maintained aircraft until he was 101.
Ernest served in London during the blitz before joining the Allied campaign in North Africa, then went to Italy to maintain Allied tanks, directing 23 Italian civilian mechanics. And brave Ernest says he still has vivid memories of serving with the Army Ordnance Corps in London in 1940 and feels lucky to have survived the terrible conflict.
Ernest, who has met several prime ministers since leaving the armed forces, received a card from Rishi Sunak congratulating him on reaching his 105th birthday. But of all the statesmen he had the pleasure of speaking to, he said he particularly enjoyed chatting with Boris Johnson, who he’s met on three occasions.
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