Ivy Meenan, a World War Two veteran, marked her 105th birthday on July 6, 2026, attributing her longevity to a happy marriage and ample sleep.
Meenan served for four years in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the women's branch of the British army, after enlisting at the age of 20. During her service, she was stationed in Cornwall, where she worked as a range finder, assisting an anti-aircraft gun unit by targeting enemy bombers. She met her late husband, Johnnie, who was serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF), at a dance in 1942.
Her landmark birthday was celebrated with a party at Wilson Keys retirement home in Rugeley, Staffordshire, where she resides. The event was attended by friends, family, and fellow RAF veterans.
When asked about the key to her long life, Meenan stated, "It's a mystery to me – living a good life and a happy marriage." She also added, "I tell you what I do a lot of sleeping. When I sit here by myself, I doze off."
Her son, Peter, remarked to BBC Midlands Today, "[She's] 105 and she's achieved such a lot. It's very strange to be approaching 80 and still have a mother who thinks you're adolescent."
Last year, it was estimated that fewer than 8,000 British veterans from World War Two were still alive.
Recent days have also seen other veterans celebrating significant birthdays. George Durrant, from Crawley in West Sussex, turned 102 on Saturday, July 5, 2026. Durrant lived through the Blitz and later served in India and Myanmar during the war. A voluntary history group's appeal to celebrate him resulted in hundreds of flags being sent his way.
Additionally, Bob Tait from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, celebrated his 100th birthday on the same day, marking the occasion with family and friends at his care home.