WWII veteran celebrates 105th birthday with 4,000 cards from the public
A veteran of the Second World War got a very special surprise on his 105th birthday when he received more than 4,000 cards.
The Blackpool branch of the Royal British Legion charity helped retired Staff Sergeant Ernest Horsfall celebrate his 105th birthday by asking people to send him cards as he has no immediate family.
Among the thousands of cards the former soldier received was one from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and another from King Charles.
He said: "It has been overwhelming, there were another 500 this morning.
"I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to send one, and thank you to the Royal British Legion, as well."
Mr Horsfall was born in 1918 and served in London during the Blitz before joining the Allied campaign in North Africa, then went to Italy to maintain Allied tanks, directing 23 Italian civilian mechanics.
He served with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) from 1940 to 1946 and, after the war, settled in Lancashire and worked for Vauxhall Motors.
He was married for 57 years and had a son and a sister, who have both passed away.
Ernest still has vivid memories of his time in service and remembers serving with the Army Ordnance Corps in London during the Blitz of 1940.
He said: "There would be swarms of Nazi bombers flying overhead all night and I knew many people that were with injured or worse.
"On one occasion, our guard room was hit and six of my pals were killed, I was just lucky it wasn't my duty that night."
Blackpool Royal British Legion Branch Secretary Christine Parry said: "We wanted to make sure Ernest's 105th birthday was a very special occasion because our World War Two generation should never be forgotten.
"People across Lancashire, and even overseas, have shown Ernest how much they appreciate everything he did, in order for us to enjoy the freedoms that we do today."
The appeal for birthday cards for the 105-year-old went viral on social media.
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