Not many veterans are still around that can claim they fought in North Africa during World War II, and even fewer can call themselves the oldest person in their country, but Norman Irwin can say he’s both.
Irwin, who served as a sergeant with the British Army in WWII, celebrated his 107th birthday on Nov. 17 at his home in Coleraine, Northern Ireland. He’s believed to be the country’s oldest citizen. According to the Irish Examiner, more than 50,000 soldiers from Northern Ireland served for the Allies in World War II.
The British Army, along with the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), honored Norman with a celebration recently. Senior REME officials spoke at the event and raised a toast to the veteran’s long life and dedication to the U.K. Earlier this year, Norman received a British Empire Medal for his community service work.
“Norman Irwin exemplifies the REME motto, Arte et Marte (‘By Skill and By Fighting’), having engineered solutions under the most challenging wartime conditions,” the British Army said in a statement.
Helped Save Suez
Irwin is one of the U.K.’s most accomplished veterans. Irwin served in eight countries during the Second World War, including Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Syria, Palestine, and Italy. Irwin also served a vital role in safeguarding the Suez Canal from enemy forces.
Irwin was born in Northern Ireland in 1918. As a member of the Coleraine Battery, Irwin joined the Royal Artillery in 1939, shortly before the Nazis invaded Poland on September 1, igniting the war. When Irwin was sent to fight in North Africa, he was awestruck by the length of the battlefield, encompassing thousands of miles.
“When they chased us back across North Africa, it was about 1,500 miles,” he told the British Army website. “It wasn’t a small, localized battle—it was over a 1,500 to 2,000-mile stretch.”
Besides dodging bullets and artillery shells, the desert’s unforgiving climate was also grueling. “We lost the tools in the sand, so we made our own—you learned to adapt to it very, very quickly. You just had to get on with it,” Irwin said.
After fighting shifted to the Suez area, the Royal Artillery had to work around the clock to stop the Germans from planting explosives inside the canal.
“The canal was only 30 meters wide, and the Germans were dropping bombs from 30,000 feet. It must have been like trying to hit a thread,” he said.
Engineering Leads to a Bright Future
Irwin showed a talent for mechanics in the military and was transferred to a new division, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). He moved up the ranks, becoming a sergeant.
Irwin’s engineering experience in the British Army proved valuable upon leaving the service. In 1945, with the war concluding, he left the military after six and a half years. The veteran found a job back home in Coleraine, working at the Benger’s factory site. The factory morphed into Kerry Foods, followed by Pickering’s Foods, a branch of Heinz.
Irwin used skills he developed with the REME, gaining a promotion to engineering manager, working at the plant until he retired. He was pleased his engineering knowledge from the military could transfer seamlessly to a civilian job.
“Everything that we did in the forces had an application in industry,” Irwin said.
Whisky Helps Longevity
For most veterans who top the century mark, the secret to a long life can vary. However, Irwin thinks he’s found the answer – whisky. He pours himself a glass every day.
“It’s kept me going all these years,” he joked.
Looking back, while it’s been 80 years since he left the British Army, Irwin still appreciates the REME and the life and career it helped him build. He hopes to inspire future British servicemembers to join the engineering division.
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