Members of the Royal Naval Association’s Rhondda Branch, along with the Rhondda Sea Cadets and the Local Council, surprised Rhondda’s oldest veteran, Gordon (Pop) White, on his 100th Birthday.
Pop was presented with a book by the Leader of the Council which recalled 100 years of events from the day of his birth. He was also presented with life-membership of the Royal Naval Association and a bottle of Pussers Rum by Area 7 National Council Member Shipmate Lance Higgon-Young.
Shipmate Colleen Rowan from the Rhondda branch made Pop’s beautiful 100th birthday card and the Rhondda
Sea Cadets presented him with a bottle of Welsh Whisky from Penderyn Distillery.
Lance Higgon-Young and Area 7 National Council Member said: “It was an absolute honour to present the wonderful Pop with his Life-membership of the Royal Naval Association. It was such a special day and he loved the wonderful surprise.”
Pop served on Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) during the Anzio landings (a battle of the Italian Campaign of WW2). His LCI 
was hit by German bombardment and he suffered a broken left arm and a broken right leg.
Pop was rescued by two American soldiers who heard his calls for help as he was trapped and unable to free himself. Once ashore, he was whisked to the American hospital for treatment. Pop remembers that he only had a pair of underpants on. When he got to the hospital, a very lovely (his words)
young nurse appeared brandishing a pair of scissors and proceeded to cut off his clothing. Pop remembers only being able to ‘salute’ the nurse.
