A war hero from Lancaster celebrated his 102nd birthday by helping to open a new drop-in centre for Armed Forces veterans.
Sgt Richard Brock received a birthday cake and song from people gathered to celebrate the opening of the Bay Veterans Association centre at Lancaster Fire Station on Saturday.
Richard, who was born on May 30 1924, was awarded numerous medals for bravery including the Legion d'Honneur, the highest military order of merit in France, after being part of the largest seaborne invasion in history.
He landed on the beaches at Normandy with the Allied Forces as they advanced into Nazi-occupied France in 1944.
WATCH as Sgt Richard Brock is serenaded with 'Happy Birthday to You' and receives a cake at the opening of the Bay Veterans Association hub in Lancaster
Over the next 12 months he helped to liberate parts of France and the Netherlands, saw first-hand the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, narrowly escaped death after a missile landed on a cinema in Belgium, was part of the famous 'A Bridge Too Far' battle, and invaded Germany's second biggest city as Hitler's forces surrendered.
Richard's dramatic and gruelling journey - staying overnight under trees, hedges and in foxholes, and constantly in danger - took him 2,000 miles from London, through France, Belgium, Holland and then into Germany as the Allied Forces were ultimately victorious.
In 2025 he met King Charles III at Lancaster Castle, and was awarded the Freedom of the City of Lancaster.
Richard receives a 102nd birthday cake on Saturday
The Bay Veterans' Association hub opened in Morecambe in 2024, as a place where local veterans can go to meet each other and receive support. The Morecambe hub is based inside the Arndale shopping centre.
The opening of the Lancaster hub is part of the expansion of Bay Veterans Association, to reach more people in Lancaster.
It opened in partnership with SSAFA (the Armed Forces Charity) and Lancaster Fire Station who allowed use of a room which will be open every second Saturday, starting on June 13, for veterans to meet and receive support they might need.
"A fantastic turn out at Lancaster Fire Station for the launch of the Bay Veterans Association and SSAFA Lancashire drop in centre," said a post on the Bay Veterans Association Facebook page.
"Attended by the new Mayor of Lancaster (Councillor Colin Hartley, below) and other forces charities.
"Our dear friend and D day veteran Sgt Richard Brock also celebrated his 102nd birthday before officially opening the proceedings."
Bay Veterans Association thanked their partners and supporters including Lancaster Fire & Rescue Service, Age UK, SSAFA, The Veterans Foundation, and LDCVS (Lancaster District Community Voluntary Solutions) for helping make this possible.
Here are more photos from the opening day.
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