Royal Navy hero Dougie Shelley celebrated turning 100 among a sea of cards as the world honoured his service.
The Second World War warrior was inundated with well wishes after a secret appeal was issued by his local Royal Naval Association branch.
It was hoped Dougie, who joined the Senior Service at 17, might get 100 cards for his birthday.
Instead he was posted 16,266 with greetings from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand and Canada to complement his special salutation from King Charles and Queen Camilla and the Prime Minister.
The smiling Arctic Convoys braveheart, who served on board HMS Milne on D-Day in 1944, marked his three-figure landmark with a glittering at a tea party among pals in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, where he lives.
Committee member Carol Pendrigh, 71, who put the call out to honour the seaman, said: “Honestly it’s phenomenal, it really is. He was absolutely blown away.”
Hero Dougie had asked for a tea party and the association branch wanted to see if it could surprise him by arranging for 100 cards to be posted.
It was thought he might not attend the shindig thrown in his honour, but when it bcame apparent the secret could no longer be kept he was shown a picture of the phenomenal haul of greetings cards and it instantly changed his mind.
Ms Pendrigh said: “I covered our dance floor with envelopes…that was the turning point.
“Paul (Bennett – Mr Shelley’s carer) showed him that picture and I think he realised just how graceful people are, just what he is, a war hero, a D-Day Arctic Convoy veteran war hero.”
Among the cards were messages from schools, care homes, cub groups and sea cadets with gifts including a homemade blanket and a plaque with his name.”
Mr Shelley was on the HMS Milne, an M-class destroyer equipped as a flotilla leader, serving as a gunner during the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France. His job was to support soldiers jumping off landing craft and storming the beaches by keeping the skies clear of enemy aircraft.
The sailor was on a ship in Hong Kong when the news of Germany’s surrender filtered through on what became known as Victory in Europe Day.
He said: “When we heard about Victory in Europe, everybody got together, and we all had a good old drink and jolly up. Now there are not many of us left.”
Dougie has served as the branch’s chairman, secretary and treasurer.
He arrived at his party through a guard of honour and was presented with a tot of rum.
Current chairman John Hawes said: “He’s always been there, he’s always got a smile, he always wants to chat. He really deserved something.”