Roy Zooms in on 100th birthday celebrations

Emsworth resident Roy Murrell has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Lockdown meant the big occasion was low-key but his family showered him with gifts and messages and hope to have a big get-together when restrictions are lifted.

Roy – full name Albert Roy Murrell – was born on May 30, 1920, in Montgomery Street, Hove. His dad Albert was in the Royal Navy and his mum Elizabeth was in service.

His father was invalided out and became a labour exchange manager after which the family, which included two sisters (Joan and Pat), moved around the country living in Uckfield, East Grinstead, Sittingbourne, Plashetts (near Kielder), Dover (where Roy swam a lot) and Folkestone.

Roy and wife Peggy when they were celebrating 50 years of marriage

He played rugby to a high standard for his school and trained to be a telephonist, but his main job was for the NAAFI (Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes) at Shorncliffe Camp, just outside Folkestone.

From there he landed a telephonist’s job at the General Post Office in Maidstone, starting at 26 shillings a week.

Roy was working there when WWII started. As a member of the Royal Signals, training started at Prestatyn in August 1940 and ended in Hammersmith, London mid-1941.

Each day a three-ton army truck took him to Storey’s Gate, where Churchill was based. Roy got to know Vera Lynn as most Sundays she would sing for troops at the Hammersmith Palais.

In 1941 Roy headed for North Africa. He spent the next four years on the North African coast working in the 8th Line of Communication signals group.

He returned to England after VE Day and during a few weeks’ leave he met Peggy.

She had been a sergeant major in the ATS and they had spoken frequently on the phone while he was at Hammersmith but had never met. Roy’s final posting was to Iserlohn in Germany for 18 months. Roy and Peggy married in August 1947.

Roy rejoined the GPO in Maidstone. Two children arrived – Michael in 1950 and Margaret in 1951.

He continued playing cricket for the Post Office team (often as captain) and for many years was treasurer of the local Civil Service Sports and Social Club.

In 1966 Roy transferred to what was to become BT