Clacton war veteran celebrates 100th birthday with family

Rosalie Jones, better known as Peggy, was born in Clacton's Rush Green Road on June 7, 1924.

She was evacuated from the seaside town during the war to Burton-on-Trent with two of her sisters. 

There, she decided to enlist in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, where she became a leading aircraft woman. 

Looking back on her time at the force, she has mixed emotions - happy times with her female colleagues but also hard and sad times because of the war. 

Veteran - Rosalie joined the WAAF as a young woman (Image: Kelly Taylor)

Peggy was stationed in many places and travelled all over the country, even flying from from one to another in a glider. 

During her service, she was involved in the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944 and Operation Varsity. 

During the war, Peggy met husband Alfred Lewis Jones, who served as a gunner. 

Together the couple had eight children, and she loves spending time with them in Clacton. 

Celebration - Rosalie Jones celebrated her 100th birthday with family in Clacton (Image: Kelly Taylor)

Peggy will celebrate her 100th birthday with a vintage-style afternoon tea, singing all her favourite songs, eating her favourite cakes and spending time with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. 

Granddaughter Kelly Taylor said: “She drank Champagne from a vintage cup and sang all her favourite wartime songs - she had a brilliant day. 

“Family travelled from France, Yorkshire, Kent and Norfolk. They all came down for the celebrations.”