D-Day Pilot Turning 102 Attributes His Longevity To Art, Music, Good Food And Finest Wine

For many the Greatest Generation, also known as the G.I. Generation and the World War II generation were those born from 1901 to 1927.

They were born during WW1 and were a significant party of America’s World War 2 effort.

One of these remaining heroes, a D-Day pilot, celebrated turning 102, and attributes his longevity partly to a love of fine wine, among other pleasures.

Harry Gamper, who turned 102 was born in Surrey on July 20th 1920.

The War hero and father of two, served as an RAF pilot in World War II and won medals for his service in France and Germany including a Battle of Atlantic medal.

During his time in the RAF, Harry completed over 1,000 hours of flying time, taking the reins of Warwicks, Wellingtons and Catalina flying boats, and left the air force in 1946.

Harry had an Italian-themed birthday party, in memory of his late wife, Annalisa, who he enjoyed sun-soaked holidays in Italy with.

“Life is beautiful, and I’ve always lived it to the full,” Harry said. “I love art, music, good food and the finest wine. All of these things, and the people around you are what matter most in life.”

“I looked forward to my Italian feast and maybe a sing-along to some traditional Italian music.”

The Battle of the Atlantic was the longest military action during the war, and last from 1939 right up to the final months in 1945, during which time 175 RAF fighters were shot down in anti-submarine sorties.

After retiring, Harry moved to a cottage in the village of Straiton, Ayrshire in the late 2000s, where he took up gardening and enjoyed the proximity to the coast.

Harry described his D-Day memories as “incredible, I’ll never forget it.”

“For a whole week before D-Day, nobody was allowed off the aerodrome. So, something big was going to happen,” he said. “The [English] Channel was extraordinary – I think you could have almost walked across the Channel because every boat was going across it.”

What a life Harry has lived so far, an inspiration for many of us.

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