Tenterden: World War Two veteran celebrates 100th birthday

"Everything was against us really", Flt Lt Deverell said of his time serving during World War Two

A World War Two RAF veteran has been celebrating his 100th birthday with a surprise party.

Colin Deverell, from Tenterden in Kent, joined RAF Bomber Command in 1943, aged 19, and rose to the rank of flight lieutenant.

During his service, Flt Lt Deverell notched up 34 Lancaster sorties.

He was one of few surviving veterans to have been awarded the Légion d'Honneur - France's highest honour, for helping the resistance.

However, Flt Lt Deverell said his greatest achievement was raising his two daughters.

As part of the surprise birthday party hosted by his community, the bells of St Mildred's Church rang out and pupils from Benenden School sang him Happy Birthday.

He said: "I feel like bursting into tears really, I probably will."

Battle of Britain

Born in 1923, Flt Lt Deverell spent his early life serving in the RAF and said he felt very lucky to have survived his 34 sorties in Lancaster bombers, as a third of crews had been killed during World War Two.

During his last operation, he badly burned his hands putting out a plane fire. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for displaying exceptional valour while saving his crew.

Flt Lt Deverell went on to become involved in special operations to deliver supplies to the French Resistance.

After leaving the RAF, Flt Lt Deverell married Joan, who lived next to his grandmother in Orpington.

They had two daughters and moved to Tenterden in 1966. Joan died in 2010.

Friends, family and his community organised the surprise birthday party together with Tenterden Social Hub.

He told BBC Radio Kent he had no idea a party was being organised for him.

"Even at the very last moment," he said.

"I thought we were just having a church service."

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