A care home resident has celebrated his 102nd birthday.
Douglas Kerr, who lives at Charlotte Straker House, in Corbridge, was born in Clapham in 1922.
His family moved to Whitley Bay, and when war broke out, he joined the British Army.
He later spent two years in North Africa and Palestine as part of an Ammunitions Inspection team.
During his birthday celebrations, Mr Kerr shared tales of his wartime experiences, including a narrow escape from German Junkers planes during an ammunition run.
He recounted jumping into the sea as the "Stuka" (a nickname for Junkers) planes swooped in, hearing the terrifying siren as the planes divebombed, and having to swim to a nearby island for rescue.
He also described the challenges of dealing with German Teller landmines, noting: "The German soldiers were very crafty, and stacked these flat mines on top of each other.
"When you found them and tried to defuse the top bomb, it triggered all the others and made a huge explosion."
After his military service, Mr Kerr returned to Whitley Bay and worked in the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service as a civil servant.
He and his wife, Joan, raised four children.
Mr Kerr said his secret to longevity is "wine gums."
He said: "They keep me going."
Mr Kerr moved to Charlotte Straker House last year.
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