'Hardy' James has 100th celebration to remember

James Fordyce Stewart, a former Royal Air Force driver from Bathgate, has celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by generations of his family.

Mr Stewart, who was born on December 30, 1910, spent his birthday with around 30 family members at his son's home in Livingston.

He has spent almost all his life in Bathgate, where he grew up as the oldest of three children with his brother, Tom, and sister, Margaret.

Daughter Moira Stewart said: "One of his earliest memories is of seeing the TA marching through Bathgate to the rail station as they were posted to France at the start of the First World War."

He attended Bathgate Academy but left at the age of 14 to work in his father's fish shop, where he learned his trade as a fishmonger.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Mr Stewart enlisted in the RAF and was posted to the Middle East. On his return in 1943, he was sent to Elgin where he met his wife Elizabeth Campbell, known as Betty, from Walkerburn.

She was working in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) at the time and promised to wait for him when he was posted overseas once more, this time to India for the invasion of Malaysia.

Mr Stewart finished his tour of duty in Singapore, made a safe return home and married Betty in 1946.

The couple spent 50 years together and had three children, James, Alistair and Alison; eight grandsons, Mark, Ian, Philip, Colin, Christopher, Craig, Stuart and Cameron; and four great-grandchildren, Jay, Elizabeth, Daisy and Cameron.

After retirement, the couple joined Bathgate Golf Club where Mr Stewart stayed active, playing regularly up to the age of 80.

Betty died aged 76 in 1995 and Mr Stewart continued to live independently until four years ago. He now lives with his daughter Alison in Duddingston.

Son Alistair said: "He had a stroke about 17 years ago and my mother looked after him really well. He's always kept fit but she got him exercising after the stroke and he's done very well to reach this age. He's such a hardy chap.

"He sees a lot of the family. He comes to stay with my brother and with me often so he sees a lot of the grandkids. We all go round to visit him and it's working really well."

He was joined by a large gathering of family and friends to mark his birthday.

Alistair added: "All the family was there and I think he was very touched. He got his card from the Queen and some lovely cards from local councillors and from the local Probus club where he was a member. He was quite emotional and I think it was a really nice day for him."