Gosport D-Day veteran Ron Cross celebrates 'lovely' 100th birthday

Ron Cross, from Gosport, was joined by his social-distancing family members in his garden for a pleasant party in the June sunshine.

The government lockdown scuppered initial plans for his centenary celebrations, but the people of Gosport came through for Ron – sending him more than 100 birthday cards.

Cards came from old friends, those who have never met Ron, and the Queen.

Balloon Crew also provided some stunning inflatable decorations, with a couple of balloon guards stood to attention.

During the Second World War, Ron served in the 79th Armoured Division as a demolitions non-commissioned officer, clearing a path for allied tanks by blowing up everything in their way.

The D-Day veteran said he was ‘very happy’ to be celebrating his birthday with loved ones.

He said: ‘It’s been a very unusual birthday. I didn't expect it to be like this but have very much enjoyed myself.

‘I’ve got all the family with me today. Four generations in total and we’ve had sandwiches and music all day. It’s been lovely.

‘There were so many cards through the door, it was brilliant and I’m very thankful. There were some from people I haven’t caught up with in years.’

After the Second World War, Ron settled down in Gosport, becoming a well-known figure throughout the town.

His presence at Gosport Borough Cricket Club means he is a popular face for many.

With a keen passion for sport, Ron has put his many years down to his athleticism.

‘I’ve never really thought about it as being my secret to life,’ he said.

‘But I’ve always been a sportsman so I suppose that’s part of it.

‘I play a lot of cricket and golf, and have played a fair amount of football in my time; my knees aren’t as good as they used to be now though.

‘I eat very well too.’

Ron and his family were overjoyed to see so many well-wishes flooding in.

His granddaughter Amy said: ‘Thank you to everyone that has responded to the appeal to wish my grandad a happy 100th birthday.’

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on portsmouth.co.uk. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to portsmouth.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit our Subscription page now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.