A former RAF pilot officer has been celebrating his 100th birthday this week, with a visit from a current group captain.

Alexander ’Sandy’ Baird Gerrard will turn 100 tomorrow (Friday), and is celebrating with his friends and family.

To begin his celebrations, Sandy had a party at Ian Cannell Court, Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, which was attended by special guest, RAF Group Captain Piers Holland.

Group Captain Holland said: ’It is an absolute honour and pleasure to be here today, representing the commandant general of the RAF Regiment on the occasion of Sandy’s 100th birthday.

’This is an especially poignant moment, considering this is the RAF’s centenary year, and for a man who was there at the formation of our Corps.

’The RAF Regiment is proud of all of our people, and, supported by the Centurion Fund, I am proud to represent the entire Corps here today to help Sandy celebrate this unique occasion.’

Sandy reported to Edinburgh in July 1939 for a medical and asked to join the RAF.

He said: ’On about September 6, a few days after the war started, I was posted to Cardington, Much to my disappointment and my mother’s delight, this order was cancelled.

’In November 1939, I was again posted, this time to Padgate, but this posting too was cancelled.

’Other young men were rushing to join the RAF and those already signed up were not wanted, finally I was posted, again to Cardington, on February 15, 1940.’

Sandy spent time at RAF Halton and the advanced flying school at Wigtown and was training aircrew and station personnel in how to use their weapons, during this time he attended training schools, including three in the island.

Sandy arrived in France in September 1944, about three months after D-Day with armoured cars and landed at Mulberry Harbour.

He said: ’My journey took me through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, until we reached the Rhine.

’I returned to the Isle of Man at that point to get married to a Wren I had met while stationed here called Betty.’

The ’Wrens’ were the Women’s Royal Naval Service.

Sandy was later posted to Berlin where his squadron marched in front of Churchill and Eisenhower, which he described as a ’honour and a privilege’.

After the war, Sandy returned to the island to live with Betty. He also went back to being a butcher, having been an apprentice in Scotland. He joined the Manx Cooperative Society, and was eventually general manager of their butchery department.

They settled in Woodbourne Square, Douglas, where they lived for over 50 years until they moved into Ian Cannell Court.

The couple had three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Betty died aged 91 in 2010.

Sandy added: ’I regard my years in the RAF as one of the happiest and most fulfilling times of my long life.’

To begin his celebrations, Sandy had a party at Ian Cannell Court, Glencrutchery Road, Douglas, which was attended by special guest, RAF Group Captain Piers Holland.