War veteran is 100

A popular Pembroke Dock man who was involved in the Battle of Britain has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Richard Stephens of Cross Park, Pennar, was stationed at RAF Hemswell in Lincolnshire during the famous air campaign in the summer and autumn of 1940.

He was working as a flight mechanic on the Hampden, the twin engine bomber that destroyed Hitler’s invasion barges.

During his time at the RAF Station it was visited by King George VI and Richard was selected to be in the Guard of Honour

Born in Usk in Gwent, he had joined the RAF in 1938. One of his first postings was to Pembroke Dock where he witnessed the arrival of the first Sunderland flying boat.

Later in the war he as posted to India where he shook hands with Lord Louis Mountbatten, then Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia.

After the war he returned from abroad to his wife Gwen and two-year-old daughter – whom he had never met – and they settled in Pembroke Dock where later employment included working for GEC on the construction of Pembroke Power Station in the 1960s.

Richard was predeceased by Gwen in 2006. They had four children: Pauline – who died in 2005 – Vivien (who lives with her dad), Alan who lives in Pembroke and Nicola in Fishguard

He also has four grandchildren (Ceri, Danielle, Lydia and Stephen) and two great-grandchildren (Ruby Gwen and Edi Richard).

Richard hosted family and friends at his home on Monday and a party was later held in his honour at the Cleddau Bridge Hotel, Pembroke Dock

He received a birthday card from HM The Queen while one of his well-wishers visitors included Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman, Wynne Evans. He presented Richard with the book ‘More Welsh Journeys’ by Pembroke Dock-born broadcaster, Jamie Owen.

Caption
Mr Stephens with Councillor Evans and the Chairman’s Consort, Mrs Gwyneth Johns.