On Saturday 1st October, at the Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth, Alexander Gordon Mackintosh celebrated his 100th Birthday with family and friends. 

 

The ‘very happy event’ was made more memorable by the presence of a piper playing moving Scottish tunes and a cake provided by Sidmouth business Angelchops.   

 

The cake featured memories including photos of the different stages of Alex’s life, his time in the RAF during WW2 and his subsequent life as a banker working for the Australian and New Zealand Banking group in London. 

 
On retirement in 1981, Alex, together with his wife Peggy, moved to Sidmouth where they both immediately took up several voluntary positions helping the local community.   

 

In Alex’s own words, ‘It was Payback Time’.  Alex was Treasurer of Sidmouth Help Link, Sidmouth Hospice Fundraising Committee, Sidmouth Abbeyfield Society and Assistant Treasurer to Sidmouth Voluntary Services.  

 

Alex assisted with the finances of Twyford House and Sidmouth Macmillan Society.  Alex was also a member of the Sid Vale Association, Sidmouth Hospital Comforts Fund, Sidmouth Conservative Club, Sidmouth Bowling Club and Sidmouth Men’s Forum. 

 

Alex had spent his wartime years at RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire where, had he not been re-enlisted for medical reasons to Clerk/General Duties, Alex has often said he would not have survived his preferred option of flying with Bomber Command where the wartime rate of attrition had been devastating.  To all those who have known Alex, such a premature outcome would have been very much to our considerable loss. 

 

Alex now shops locally in Tesco with his trolley and continues his lifelong daily passion for crosswords, quizzes, Scrabble and his favourite tipple of cider.