WW2 Veteran to get police escort to 100th birthday

Ann Russell and her father George Durrant at the Not Forgotten Buckingham Palace Garden Party in May.

A veteran will travel in a World War Two jeep with a police escort to his 100th birthday celebrations in West Sussex today.

George Durrant, a Burma Star veteran from Crawley, reached the milestone on 4 July but his party was delayed after he caught Covid-19 four weeks ago.

His daughter Ann Russell said he made "a great recovery" and now he plans to mark the day with a barbecue party.

Ms Russell, 64, said: "It's such a milestone and we're all very excited about it."

The celebrations will be hosted by the Crawley & Horsham Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast club.

Ms Russell said her dad would be "arriving in style" to meet his dancing friends, veterans, family and friends attending the occasion.

Mr Durrant was an accomplished ballroom dancer in his younger days and said he thinks this is what has kept him fit all these years.

When asked how he felt about turning 100, he said he "felt like a 2-year-old" and added: "I keep dancing up and down the garden."

George Durrant on the back of a motorbike in 1946 at the Army depot in Karachi

Mr Durrant was posted to the Catterick Army base in 1942 and was training to be a tank driver.

But he said he was "quite bored" so he applied for a "special mission abroad".

Ms Russell said "he had no idea where it was going to be" but he got on a ship and went to Burma until the war ended.

Mr Durrant received two WW2 campaign medals as well as the Burma Star medal for his time serving.

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