ONE of only six surviving members of The Few - the RAF veterans of the Battle of Britain who helped avert a Nazi invasion - has celebrated his 100th birthday at a York care home.

Terry Clark was sent a card and message from the Queen yesterday and a special cake, featuring RAF roundels and five ‘flying’ planes, was baked by Jan Baines, a member of kitchen staff at Minster Grange in Haxby Road.

A party at the home was attended by representatives of RAF Linton on Ouse, including station commander Group Captain Keith Taylor and Wing Commander Howard Newbould, as well as members of his family.

Terry, from Wheldrake, received the Distinguished Flying Medal and Battle of Britain medal and clasp for his bravery and service as an air gunner protecting York and the surrounding airfields during the battle after joining 219 Squadron, a Blenheim fighter unit based at Catterick, and he later served as a radar operator.

Wing Cdr Newbould said that while attention tended to focus on the dogfights over the skies of Kent in the summer of 1940, the battle was also fought over the north of England, notably on August 15 when there was a major attack by the Luftwaffe over the region.

Terry wrote in a book about his experiences, and an extract was read out at yesterday’s party by his daughter-in-law Lesley Clark.

He wrote: “Whenever I attend a signing session and people thank me for what I have done, I just say: ‘Well, we were just doing our job.’ It is very nice for people to appreciate what we had done. I always feel sorry for the bomber boys though. They suffered terrific hardships...

“I feel that what we have done was worthwhile. I would not have missed it for the world. It was a wonderful experience the whole time in the RAF. It’s not pride, it’s satisfaction. Every sailor, soldier, airman did their bit. They should all be thanked.”