Appeal for 100th birthday cards for WW2 RAF veteran

The RAF is appealing for well-wishers to send birthday cards to a former World War Two veteran to make his 100th birthday extra special.

Richard "Dick" Skepper, who lives at Kineton Manor Nursing Home in Warwickshire, will turn 100 on 30 June.

When the war began, Mr Skepper initially wanted to be a tank driver, but his mother persuaded him to join the RAF, which he did at 18.

The RAF has asked for cards to be sent to the nursing home in Manor Lane, Kineton.

Mr Skepper completed his recruit training in October 1942 and was posted to 99 Maintenance Unit, based at RAF High Ercall in Shropshire.

From there he was posted to No 4 School of Technical Training RAFT in Wales and qualified as a Flight Mechanic Engines in February 1943.

He was then posted to 7 Squadron under Bomber Command at RAF Oakington in Cambridgeshire, in March 1943.

In December 1943, Mr Skepper was given the rank of Aircraftman First Class and in December 1944 he was promoted to Leading Aircraftman.

Mr Skepper worked first on Stirlings, and later Lancasters, as a mechanic, with Lancasters remaining his favourite aircraft to this day.

He served alongside his brothers Alec and Geoffrey, who were also in Bomber Command.

All three brothers survived the war and returned home to their family and were reunited with their two sisters.

Unfortunately, all of Mr Skepper's siblings have now passed away.

After the war, Mr Skepper spent most of his working life working on engines and other mechanical parts.

Mr Skepper married Irene in June 1945 and then settled in Luton and had their son David.

After a short spell at Vauxhall Motors, he joined the Rootes Group in 1948, which later became Chrysler.

When the car and truck businesses separated, Dick worked for Dodge Trucks, which later became Renault Trucks, and retired in 1988 having completed 40 years of service.

He and his wife enjoyed ballroom dancing, family holidays to Europe and had a wide circle of friends.

They become grandparents to David’s two children, when they were in their 60s.

Mr and Mrs Skepper spent their last year together living in Kineton Manor Nursing Home so they could be closer to David, his wife Lorraine and their children.

Irene passed away in August 2018.

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