A Second World War veteran has celebrated a milestone birthday with a special event at her care home in Surbiton. Joyce Greathead, who turned 105, was joined by family and friends at Royal Star & Garter on Wednesday, May 6. The home provides compassionate care and support to veterans and their families living with disability or dementia.
A Life of Service
Born in 1921, less than three years after the end of the First World War, Joyce lived in London before joining the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) at the age of 21. She trained as a wireless operator and served for three years until 1946 at bases including RAF Westcott and Hinton-in-the-Hedges. Now a great-grandmother, Joyce recalled: "I was sometimes stationed in the Tower Control where the operator kept in touch with the pilots while they were training – they were learning how to map-read and fly across the country. At other times I was working in wireless headquarters."
Post-War Life
Joyce was demobbed in 1946 and worked in a bank, where she met her future husband, John. The couple married in 1952, and Joyce later moved to Royal Star & Garter in 2025. The birthday girl enjoyed the company of loved ones, including her son Richard and daughter Jill. She also received a birthday card from Their Majesties The King and Queen to mark the occasion.
Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton is currently welcoming new residents. For more information on its services or career opportunities, visit www.starandgarter.org/surbiton. Location: Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
