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One of the last surviving D-Day veterans has celebrated his 100th birthday at a care home near Bideford.
John White, who lives at Kenwith Castle care home based in Abbotsham, enjoyed a special afternoon tea with his family and loved ones “because, as a Yorkshireman, he didn’t want any fuss”.
His bedroom was filled with 100th birthday cards, including his special card from King Charles and Queen Camilla, banners, balloons and his favourite chocolate treats.
John joined the Royal Air Force on his 18th birthday and in the Second World War he was part of the D-Day landings and travelled right through France and Germany as a driver. While in Germany, he met his late wife, Betty, who was in the WRAF and they were married at the end of the war. En route to their honeymoon, John was tasked with driving Hermann Goring’s staff car to an American airbase to be flown over to the US. Goring was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which governed Germany from 1933 to 1945.
John and Betty moved to Barnstaple following their honeymoon and welcomed their late daughter, Lynne. John went on to work for BT, formerly known as Post Office Communications, for 37 years, moving to several different locations before later retiring to Barnstaple. Betty sadly passed away in May 2020 just a couple of weeks before the couple’s 70th wedding anniversary.
When asked what the secret was to living to reach 100, John said that “he only smoked for three months and then he gave up”.
Catherine, activities assistant at Kenwith Castle, said: “John is a joy to look after at our care home and we are so pleased that we could help him to celebrate his special day.
“He has led an incredibly interesting life and has done some incredible things in his career, so we were only too keen to make sure that he felt like a VIP on his 100th birthday.”
This year will mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, with armed forces across the UK taking part in ceremonies to mark 80 years since the crucial military operation.
