HMS Collingwood welcomes a Second World War veteran as he celebrates his 100th birthday

Bernard Beckett, also known as Bernie, celebrated his 100th birthday on September 25 and was welcomed back to HMS Collingwood in Fareham, to honour his service in the Second World War.

Bernie said: ‘It has been a nice day – the best day ever.’

Bernie was drafted to join the war on his 18th birthday, and was given only days’ notice before he had to pack up his life and move from his home town, Southampton, to HMS Collingwood to begin his life in the Royal Navy.

He spent three months at Collingwood before he went to Whale Island, Portsmouth, and was then deployed for service where he served in the Battle of the Atlantic and lost many friends along the way.

Bernie’s Royal Navy carer lasted five years and since then, he has remained loyal to the Royal British Legion as he has continuously fundraised for the Poppy Appeal yearly, raising nearly £1,000 in a week one year.

Sadly, Bernie has had to stop collecting for the Legion, but it remains close to his heart.

The Poppy Appeal launched officially on October 27 and will run until Remembrance Sunday on November 13.

Wearing a poppy is a symbol of respect for the service and sacrifice of the forces.

In May, the Royal British Legion held a Festival of Remembrance and presented Bernie with a portrait of himself to celebrate his birthday, and his service to not only the Royal Navy, but also the legion.

During the presentation, Warrant Officer 1 Baz Firth MBE, who is the Royal Navy leadership for the whole of the navy, made a speech about the invaluable service that Bernie did alongside his comrades.

This prompted the team at HMS Collingwood to get Bernie back to his original training base where he began his five-year stint in the forces as a boy.

He was surprised by his daughter, Alison Hunt, who had organised the day with the team at the training base and the Royal British Legion.

He was under the impression that he was going for a family lunch, but spent the day at HMS Collingwood where he had a tour of the grounds, had a demonstration of the modern artillery as he is an ex-gunner, had lunch with the captain and a reception where he was welcomed by phase two trainees and a musician playing Happy Birthday.

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Bernie added: ‘I got drafted on a Friday to report here for the Monday, so I had to get a train to Collingwood.

‘It was horrible, we had to get up at 6am every morning and parade every day. There were no young ladies, that was the worst of it. There were young men, 5,000 of us, but no ladies.

‘It was a terrible time, but I am still here thank the Lord.’

Bernie still has scars from his time in the navy after a German U boat bombed his ship, which resulted in him needing to be in hospital for three weeks, and he still has shrapnel scars on his legs.

Baz Firth said: ‘His sacrifice and the sacrifice of his friends, a lot of whom didn’t come home, was unimaginable. It is nice to him today, but it also shows to the phase two trainees, to see a piece of living history, without which we may not be here today.’

Bernie has also recently received a telegram from the King in celebration of his birthday and it is thought that he could one of the first people to receive a telegram from the new monarch.

Claire Smith, community fundraiser for the Royal British Legion, said: ‘I think Covid has stopped him getting out and about and we wanted to protect our vulnerable veterans but give him a tin and some poppies and he would be out there selling them. It is very emotional. I feel very honoured and privileged to know Bernie.’

Alison said: ‘I am very proud of him. They have really gone out of their way to do this. We are very grateful.’