WW2 Veteran Marks 105th Birthday
Ivy Meenan, a World War Two veteran who served with an anti-aircraft unit, recently celebrated her 105th birthday surrounded by friends, family, and visitors from the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Born in Wolstanton, Staffordshire, Meenan joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the women's branch of the British Army, at the age of 20 during the Second World War. She was stationed in Cornwall, where she worked as a range finder with an anti-aircraft gun unit, assisting in targeting enemy bombers.
More than eight decades later, she celebrated her milestone birthday on Monday with a party held at Wilson Keys retirement home in Rugeley, where she currently resides.
When asked about the secret to her longevity, Meenan told BBC Midlands Today:
"It's a mystery to me – living a good life and a happy marriage."
"I tell you what I do a lot of.... sleeping. When I sit here by myself, I doze off."
She was visited by RAF officials during her birthday celebrations, marking the occasion with recognition from the service she once supported.
Service and Personal Life
Meenan served with the ATS for four years during the war. During her service, she met her late husband Johnnie, who was serving with the RAF in Cornwall, at a dance in March 1942.
Reflecting on her role, she said:
"I was one of many, one of many. Strangely enough, although it was so sad, I enjoyed my time in the ATS."
She also praised the Spitfire aircraft and the pilots who flew them during the war, stating:
"If it wasn't for the Spitfire, I don't know what we'd have done. It was a marvellous aircraft."
Her service with the ATS spanned the duration of the war, contributing to Britain's defensive efforts against aerial attacks.
Celebrations and Family Reflections
In addition to the RAF visitors, Meenan celebrated her birthday with other residents of the retirement home and her family members.
Fellow resident Joyce Clark described her as "absolutely amazing," while another resident, Susan Miles, called her a "joy to all who know her."
Her son Peter commented:
"[She's] 105 and she's achieved such a lot. It's very strange to be approaching 80 and still have a mother who thinks you're adolescent."
Her niece, Gillian Loader, expressed the family's sentiments, saying they were "proud, privileged and honoured" to have had her in their lives for so long. She added:
"She just doesn't realise how special she is and we love her to bits."
