D-Day Veteran from Herne Bay Celebrates 100th Birthday

Peter Smoothy, a D-Day veteran from Herne Bay, has marked his 100th birthday with a celebration attended by family, friends, and staff at a Margate hospital. At the age of 19, Mr. Smoothy was one of 99 crew members aboard the tank landing ship HMS LST 215, which journeyed across the English Channel to Juno Beach, Normandy, transporting crucial military vehicles. Mr. Smoothy informed BBC Radio Kent: “They gave us a job and we went on and did it.” His centenary was observed at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, where he was surrounded by family members, and hospital staff provided a cake and a balloon. After enjoying his chocolate cake, Mr. Smoothy mentioned he felt overwhelmed by the impromptu party and was looking forward to returning home. He stated: “I was pleased to see that so many people could find their way here and come round and still like the name of Peter Smoothy.” Mr. Smoothy also clarified that he was among the 156,000 Allied servicemen who participated in Operation Overlord, and on June 6, 1944, he found himself offshore, awaiting the clearing of the beach. Following his return from the war, Mr. Smoothy became the landlord of The Four Fathoms pub in Herne Bay, a business he operated for 40 years. In June of this year, Mr. Smoothy traveled back to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, expressing his wish to greet his fallen comrades. He remarked, “Some of us came out of it and some didn’t – a lot lost their lives.” John, Mr. Smoothy’s grandson, conveyed to the BBC his satisfaction that his grandfather was able to revisit the beaches. John commented, “We are so proud of him.”