By Isle of Wight Observer
The Island’s Lord-Lieutenant, Susie Sheldon, joined family, friends and forces veterans to celebrate the 100th birthday of Alec Penstone at a special event on St George’s Day, at Sandown’s Trouville Hotel.
Entertainment included sets from The D-Day Darlings, who travelled specially to the Island to be part of this unique occasion, performing songs from The White Cliffs of Dover, to A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square, and the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Of Company B to We’ll Meet Again. Alec joined the troupe in a song dedicated to his friend, the late Mary Ellis, WWII Spitfire pilot in the Air Transport Auxiliary.
The poignant sing-a-long was a prelude to the group appearing in the VE- Day 80 commemorations at the Royal Albert Hall in May.
Guests included veterans from the Island Branch of the Royal Navy Association, where, until recently, Alec was a Standard Bearer, Sandown & Shanklin Independent Lifeboat, IW Royal British Legion, and countless well-wishers, who Alec very much wanted to be a part of his special day.
After joining in the dancing, and still holding on to a birthday card from King Charles III, Alec said: “I would like to thank everyone involved
with organising the party, the very special cupcakes and surprise Jeep, the birthday cake, and all of the kind and thoughtful messages.”
Other messages included a letter from French president, Emmanuel Macron, and former British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, whom Alec met at the D-Day 80 events in Normandy in 2024 (and he hopes to return this year).
‘My ten and a half arctic convoys’ captures Alec’s wartime story and pictures from Wednesday’s birthday celebration can be on the IW Observer’s on-line gallery at iw.observer/alec-100.
You can read some of Alec’s wartime memories on page 25 and watch a video interview to mark his 100th birthday at iw.observer/alec.
Mal Butler