Centenarian has had '˜a good life'

'It's been a good life,' says James Walters as he celebrates his 100th birthday.
Worthing mayor Sean McDonald joins family and friends to celebrate with James Waters on his 100th birthday. Picture: Kate Shemilt ks170082-1Worthing mayor Sean McDonald joins family and friends to celebrate with James Waters on his 100th birthday. Picture: Kate Shemilt ks170082-1
Worthing mayor Sean McDonald joins family and friends to celebrate with James Waters on his 100th birthday. Picture: Kate Shemilt ks170082-1

The centenarian was visited by Worthing mayor Sean McDonald on Wednesday, when a birthday party was held at Chesswood Lee, in Chesswood Road, Worthing.

James was born on February 15, 1916, in Rotherhithe, down by the docks in London. He left school at 14 and went to work as a clerk in the transport office of tar distillers Burt Boulton and Haywood.

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He met his wife Doris at evening classes and they were married in November 1940. She worked for the American air force as a secretary at Bushy Park.

James is finally presented with his war medals at Sandhurst ParkJames is finally presented with his war medals at Sandhurst Park
James is finally presented with his war medals at Sandhurst Park

James recalled: “She was studying silver service and I was studying transport.

“We met in arithmetic class. We added up all right as we had four children – three girls and a boy.”

James joined the army in 1939, aged 23. He was hoping to go into transport as that was his career but he was posted to infantry as he was ‘A1 fit’ and joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He served three years in the ranks before becoming a sergeant.

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James said: “Just before D-Day, officers aged under 30 were pooled as reserves. It was a bit hard at first. There weren’t many officers that came from a London elementary school.”

James is finally presented with his war medals at Sandhurst ParkJames is finally presented with his war medals at Sandhurst Park
James is finally presented with his war medals at Sandhurst Park

He ended up as a British Army officer serving with the colonial troops in Nigeria in the Royal West African Frontier Force.

“They were short of officers out east,” James explained. “I joined them in the jungle but they pulled out of there just after I arrived.”

He spent six months in Nigeria then two-and-a-half years in India. After the war, he was kept on due to the Partition of India so remained in the army until he was 30.

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“We were down in Madras and we had no problems,” he said. “We were only allowed to keep the troops on parade for ten minutes because of the heat. We used to wear seven uniforms in a day due to the sweating.”

Due to the move to the colonial troops, James did not automatically receive his war medals and it was not until he was in his 80s that he was awarded them at Sandhurst Park, after his grandson applied for them.

When he left the army, James went back to working in Silvertown in East London, as his company had kept his job open for him. He spent 25 years as transport manager, working around the Home Counties, and then became a troubleshooter out on the road for 15 years.

In total, he worked for 51 years for the company and they still send him Christmas packages.

“They were extremely good to me,” said James.

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After retirement, James and Doris moved to Findon Valley and lived there for 27 years.

Doris, who was 15 months younger than James, died about four years ago having had a fall then developed dementia.

James has lived at Chesswood Lee, a Christadelphians home, for four years.

“I was the first non-Christadelphian,” he said. “They were worried how I would fit in but they hadn’t thought I had been married to one for 72 years.”

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He is partially sighted and attends Blind Veterans UK every week. He has done a lot of crafts, including making a tiled table for Chesswood Lee. He has also been working on bird boxes for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

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