Pompey boy Doug celebrates his 100th birthday
Ahead of his 100th birthday, Douglas Hudson reminisces about his life and service in the Second World War.
Royal Navy veteran Douglas, known to his friends as Dougie, was born in Emsworth Road, North End, on March 7, 1920, to parents Albert William and Annie Agnes Hudson and grew up with his siblings Lilian May and brother Leonard Albert.
‘I went to Drayton Road School until I was 11. I passed the secondary school exams so then went to Northern Grammar.
He smiles and says: ‘But I was at the bottom of the class.’
Upon leaving school, Douglas says he did a few ‘odd jobs’ before joining the navy at 16 at St Vincent, Gosport.
He explains: ‘I went in as an instructor boy and was drafted on to HMS Birmingham in 1938. We sailed from Portsmouth to China.’
Douglas returned about 1940 before going to Scotland and sailing to America to join minesweeper HMS Pylades. She was sunk on July 8, 1944, off Juno Beach during the Normandy landings. The captain’s report said the damage was most likely caused by two mines,’ says Douglas.
Showing the scar on his head, he adds: ‘I lost my memory for 10 days and lost three very good friends.
‘I was invalided out of the navy on March 7, 1945 – my birthday.’
When Douglas came home, he got a job with British Telecom.
‘I loved it and I was quite happy in civvy street,’ he says.
Throughout his life, Douglas has been a very loyal Pompey supporter and through his undying support, he met his first wife Joyce Irene Knipe.
‘She was from a well known hair-dressing family in the town,’ says Douglas. ‘We met at a Portsmouth Supporters Club. We were both huge Pompey fans and used to travel across the country following them.
He laughs and adds: ‘I have some good memories and definitely some bad ones.’
The couple tied the knot in November 1948 at Fareham Register Office and had two children, Debbie and Stephen.
Joyce died in 1979 and Douglas remarried to Queenie and moved to Poole. Since Queenie’s death, he moved to Eliza Mackenzie Court, Cosham, and says he ‘loves it’.
Douglas adds: ‘There’s lovely people here. We’re like one big family. We’re all young-minded old people.’
When asked if being 100 makes him feel differently, he smilesand says: ‘I ache a bit but don’t really feel any different. I always pray to the lord.’
Great-grandfather Douglas enjoyed a family celebration on March 7 and a surprise fish and chip supper last week with his friends at the court to mark his milestone birthday.