EX-SERVICEMAN, bowls fan and lifelong Everton supporter Ken Moore celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday.
Ken, from Wilmslow, served in the Army during the Second World War, and was a bank manager and sub-postmaster for many years before he retired.
He did the book-keeping for 30 years for his son’s newsagents’ business, and has remained active since retirement, having been a member of Wilmslow Bowling Club for 20 years.
Ken lives in a retirement apartment in Wilmslow, and enjoyed a small gathering with members of his family outside the apartments on Saturday.
He has two children, David and Shirley. His wife Pauline, who he married in 1946, died 15 years ago.
Ken enjoys a game of bowls
He served during the war in the Royal Army Service Corps, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant.
“I spent five years in the Middle East, and for part of the time I was with the 7th Armoured Division, The Desert Rats, serving in Egypt and Libya,” he said.
“I was driving a three-ton lorry delivery supplies of food, petrol, water and ammunition.
“In 1941 our company was involved in the Siege of Tobruk when the garrison held out for eight or nine months.
“We were delivering supplies, which used to come by ship and get unloaded under the eyes of the Stukas and Messerschmitts.
“We were under fire all the time – we were either being bombed or shelled pretty well every day we were there; it was quite a harrowing time.
“With all that stuff flying about you were lucky to get away without being injured.”
Ken was born in Bootle and worked as clerk in a bank before the war.
He went back into the bank after the war, and rose to become assistant manager of the Lewis’ Bank in Liverpool, and subsequently managed the Leeds and Manchester branches.
After the Lewis’ Bank was taken over by Lloyds Bank he left and bought a sub-post office in Davenport in 1970.
He was there for 13 years until retiring in 1983, although he undertook relief work for a sub-postmaster for a further five years.
Ken has been an Everton fan since the age of seven, and has played sport all his life, having started bowling again recently at Wilmslow Bowling Club as lockdown rules eased.
He has four grandchildren and three great grandchildren, and is planning a big get-together with family and friends when the pandemic is over.
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