Centenarian veteran reflects on VE Day anniversary
Emily Sinclair/BBCA 100-year-old RAF veteran from Kent has reflected on his time in the Second World War as the country celebrates Victory in Europe Day.
Len Spratt, from Dartford, enlisted in 1943 and served for about four years before returning to civilian life.
The former wireless operator air gunner said: "I'm just glad to survive the war and I'm sort of happy the way things are at the moment here in my own personal life.
"I'm happy, I'm retired and I've got a marvellous family and they look after me very well."
Thursday marks 80 years since Britain and its allies formally accepted Nazi Germany's surrender after almost six years of war.
Mr Spratt, who served in the Middle East, said when he heard the news he was "quite relieved".
"I just wanted it all over, to get home," he added.
Mr Spratt says his lesson for the younger generations is: "Just try and be friends and don't go around looking for trouble."
Long-lasting friendship
When enlisting in the RAF, Mr Spratt met fellow 18-year-old Roy Briggs, who he went on to befriend and even attend his 100th birthday in March.
Mr Spratt told BBC Radio Kent: "I enrolled, I think March '43 and there was a chap standing alongside of me and [we] sort of shrugged shoulders to sort of say 'what we doing here?'.
"Anyway, we got called up and low and behold there was Roy standing next to me and we became friends and the friendship is still going, 82 years.
"It's almost a Guinness World Record!"
After enlisting, the pair were asked to report to Lord's Cricket Ground in London.
Mr Briggs said: "As I got to Lord's Cricket Ground I saw you [Mr Spratt] coming along the road so I waited for you and we went in. We had our injections together."
Mr Spratt was the best man at Mr Briggs' wedding and the pair, who were born a week apart, still visit and video call each other.
For former Ft Lt Colin Deverell, now 101 and living in Tenterden, Kent, his work during the war involved facing raids across Germany.
He was later awarded the Legion D'Honneur, France's highest distinction, for supporting the French Resistance through missions dropping supplies from his planes.
He travelled to London on 8 May 1945, to Leicester Square.
"It was absolutely packed out with people dancing and singing and some were climbing lampposts," he said.
His military uniform hat was thrown down the Piccadilly Circus underground and also had a pint of beer poured in it, he added.
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