Former Prisoner of War who flew home on VE Day celebrates 104th birthday in Northumberland
A Northumberland veteran who flew home to Britain aboard a Lancaster bomber on VE Day itself has celebrated his 104th birthday.
Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Hutchinson, from Seahouses, spent the special day surrounded by family and friends.
He said: "I've had a wonderful life, seen a great deal of the world and met some extraordinary people along the way. I feel very lucky to be here celebrating with my family."
His daughter, Alina Stanger, said: “He must now be one of the last remaining veterans of World War Two.
“His old schools Ardvreck and Charterhouse recognised his birthday acknowledging he would be the oldest alumni in their records.”
She added: “His old regiments – the Pay Corps and Royal Tank Regiment – also sent cards and gifts.”
Born in Bamburgh on 5 May 1922, Christopher began his military journey during the Second World War when, aged 18, he joined the local Home Guard after leaving school. It was there he met his future wife, Jinny — the daughter of his company commander — beginning a love story that would span 73 years of marriage.
Christopher later joined the British Army and was commissioned into the Royal Tank Regiment, serving bravely in North Africa and Italy during WWII. During the conflict he endured seven months as a prisoner of war at Stalag VII-A before eventually being liberated.
In a remarkable twist, Christopher was flown back to Britain aboard a Lancaster bomber on VE Day, May 8, 1945, making modern Lancaster flypasts and VE Day commemorations especially poignant for him.
Following the war, Christopher continued his military career with distinction in the Royal Army Pay Corps, serving around the world including postings in Singapore, Hong Kong, Belgium and Italy. He eventually retired in 1979 after an impressive 38-year military career.
After his final posting in Naples, Christopher and Jinny retired to Umbria in Italy, where they embraced their shared love of travelling and exploring in Christopher’s beloved camper van. The couple returned to England in 2007 and settled in Seahouses where life took on a gentler pace.
Jinny sadly died in 2019, but Christopher remains, in the words of his family, “sharp as a tack” despite being slightly less mobile than in years gone by. He has five children, 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Caroline Pryer, chair of SSAFA's Northumberland branch said: “Christopher represents a truly remarkable generation whose courage, resilience and service shaped the world we live in today.
"To have someone in our community who not only served during the Second World War but actually flew home on VE Day is incredibly special. It's a privilege to help mark this wonderful milestone for him and his family.”