A “kind and generous” former Vauxhall Motors worker celebrated his 100th birthday with a party fit for a centenarian.
Gordon Bedingfield, who was awarded the North Atlantic Star and Air Crew Europe Star during his time as an RAF Flight Lieutenant in the 1940s, was surrounded by family for his birthday party at Trefoil House on April 25.
Mr Bedingfield has lived in Luton since 1934, when his family moved down from Sunderland, and he started working at Vauxhall Motors in 1936.
He married Dorothy in 1937 and has six children, 15 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
Daughter Mary Dempster said: “My father is a kind, generous and charitable man with a positive disposition. He is always pleased to see everyone and the visits are always tinged with humour.”
The keen and knowledgeable gardener spent three years in the RAF in the 1930s and rejoined in 1943 where he was a wireless operator in a bomber squadron taking part in North Atlantic escort operations.
He returned to Vauxhall in 1947, retiring as area manager of the press shops in 1973.
Mr Bedingfield enjoyed going to the races and was interested in racing pigeons, and now enjoys listening to and reciting poetry.