Navy veteran, 100, shares birthday with submarine

A Royal Navy veteran who looked after submarine radars during World War Two has spent his 100th birthday on board an iconic underwater vessel.

Roger Wood, the former radar mechanic, visited HMS Alliance at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport.

It coincided with a special day for the submarine, which celebrated its 80th birthday.

The vessel is the sole surviving British WW2-era submarine and Mr Wood, who last boarded one in his 20s, joked as he walked on that "it's been a few years since I was here".

Mr Wood had worked as a radio transmitter engineer for the BBC before he was called up to the Royal Navy.

Surrounded by family and friends for his birthday celebrations, Mr Wood reflected on his service.

He said: "It's always nice to look back on it and think, 'yes, I was part of that'."

HMS Alliance served for decades through the Cold War before falling into decay.

It was restored for the museum in 2014 and is now a memorial to 5,300 British submariners who lost their lives in service between 1904 and the present day.

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