Ex-RAF Nursing Officer Anne Celebrates 101st Birthday with Seaside Lunch

A former RAF nursing officer has celebrated her 101st birthday with a trip to the seaside.

Dorset lady Anne Burchell travelled from her Lymington care home, Colten Care’s Court Lodge, for lunch at the Pebble Beach restaurant in Barton on Sea.

After a scenic, six-mile drive along the coast. she and a friend, June Tipping, a former respite resident at the home, dined on lobster ravioli and pork belly in cream sauce.

The pair became friends last year amid the celebrations for Anne’s centenary when June was living temporarily at Court Lodge.

Anne said of her 101st birthday: “I thought it would be lovely to have a special meal out and I love going for a drive and being by the sea. I’d been to Pebble Beach before but that was many years ago. I really enjoyed being back and had a wonderful time.”

Court Lodge Companionship Team Leader Julia Puia, who helped plan the trip, said: “When we told Anne that June would be able to join us again this year, she was absolutely delighted.”

Born in Branksome, Poole, in 1925, Anne joined the Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service in 1947 after completing her nurse training at Middlesex Hospital.

She went on to spend 12 years as an RAF Nursing Officer with two years’ service in Singapore, two in Germany and six months on an aircraft carrier. She also nursed at numerous hospitals throughout Britain.

After she retired from nursing, she did voluntary work and, with husband Frederick, travelled all over the UK and across the world. She also followed her hobbies of tennis, bowling and gardening.

A year ago, for Anne’s 100th birthday, her granddaughter arranged for three serving military nurses to arrive in uniform at Court Lodge and wish her well.

After welcoming Laura Rutter, Pauline Ibarra and Elisa Iannidinardi, Anne said it had been a happy opportunity to compare the present RAF with her service time sixty to seventy years ago.