A man by the name of Ernest Horsfall has lived to the incredible age of 105 years old. He celebrated his birthday in style and, thanks to the power of the Internet, he received more than 4,000 birthday cards, according to the Royal British Legion.
Born in 1918 in West Yorkshire, Horsfall has seen a lot in life. This includes serving during WWII in the British military.
According to the BBC, Horsfall served in the British Army’s Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during the war. He was a sergeant.
When he left the service, he went on to spend 5 decades as a private pilot. He also was married and had one son and a sister.
Despite having family in his early years, he had no surviving relatives as of his 105th birthday. That is why the Royal British Legion reached out to Twitter. They wanted people to know why and how they could do something for Ernest.
According to Yahoo! News, the membership engagement manager for the Royal British Legion, Rachel Venables said: “The Second World War generation is inevitably diminishing, but occasions like this are an opportunity for the RBL to remind everyone that their service and sacrifice means something and will never be forgotten.”
Send a card to WW2 veteran, Ernest, on his 105th birthday. ❤️
Ernest lives in a residential home and has no immediate family, so the RBL's Blackpool branch have started an appeal to send him birthday cards.
✉️ Ernest Horsfall, Brooklands, 6 Black Bull Lane, Preston, PR2 3PU. pic.twitter.com/Elva0rkqvH
— Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) March 28, 2023
Horsfall was ecstatic when he received so many cards. According to Yahoo! News, his girlfriend even visited from Iceland so she could spend the special day by his side.
If you want to live a long life, Horsfall says you should be “living as happy as you can” and keep a straight mind.
Thanks to your kindness and generosity, WW2 veteran Ernest Horsfall received more than 4,000 cards to mark his 105th birthday – including one from King Charles III! 🎈
He said: “It has been overwhelming. I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to send one.” pic.twitter.com/wMtXui4EPA
— Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) April 26, 2023
