As the 100th birthday of Dougie Shelley draws near, the Southend-on-Sea community and supporters across Britain are rallying with a simple but heartfelt mission: to flood the centenarian Royal Navy veteran with birthday cards, ensuring his milestone day is one he’ll never forget. Shelley, who joined the Royal Navy at just 17, is one of the last surviving veterans of both the Arctic convoys and the D-Day landings, making his story a living piece of history—and a poignant reminder of a fading generation.
The appeal for cards, spearheaded by the Southend branch of the Royal Naval Association, is a bid to honor not just Shelley’s service, but the memory of all those who sailed and fought beside him. According to BBC, Shelley was serving as a seaman gunner on a ship in Hong Kong when news of Germany’s surrender reached his crew. Recalling the moment, he shared, “When we heard about Victory in Europe, everybody got together, and we all had a good old drink up and jolly up.” He added, “The war killed so many people, it’s unbelievable... the Americans, Russians, all the Allies, the same with the Germans. But you were doing a job, the same as they had to. It’s either kill or be killed.”
Shelley’s 100th birthday falls on September 23, 2025—a date that’s taken on special significance for the Southend naval community. John Hawes, chairman of the Southend branch and himself a former chef and baker on HMS Eagle, is leading the charge. Hawes told Sky News, “Mr Shelley was the branch’s last Arctic convoy veteran and also he was at D-Day.” He’s aiming for at least 100 cards, to be shown to Shelley at a birthday party at the Royal Naval Association club. “I think he’s going to thoroughly enjoy it, he really will, he’ll be over the moon,” Hawes said. “Dougie always likes to let everybody know he’s there, and this will blow his socks off I think.”
For Shelley, who has no known surviving family, the outpouring of support is particularly meaningful. Hawes described him as “very talkative and loves to talk about his naval career” and noted that Shelley “likes a tot of rum on a daily basis.” The birthday party will reflect these personal touches, with Hawes promising a homemade Victoria sponge cake and a bottle of Pusser’s Rum to mark the occasion. “We’re hoping that when he joins us, we can have a tot of rum with him,” Hawes said with a smile.
Shelley’s service during the war was nothing short of remarkable. As a gunlayer on the Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Milne, he played a crucial role in some of the most harrowing naval operations of the Second World War. On D-Day, he supported troops landing ashore in Normandy, acting as a gunner charged with keeping the skies clear of enemy aircraft. Paul Bennett, Shelley’s carer, told BBC, “He was on HMS Milne on D-Day supporting the chaps going off to land in craft ashore in Normandy, and he was a gunner keeping the skies clear of enemy aircraft.”
The Arctic convoys, in which Shelley also served, were among the most dangerous naval missions of the war. Hawes explained to Sky News that Shelley “would have gone through quite a bit,” including “chipping ice off the guns” while “wearing his duffle coat and maybe three or four pairs of gloves.” The convoys faced not only the threat of German submarines and aircraft, but also brutal weather and freezing seas. Hawes recalled that Shelley spoke of ships being torpedoed, and that “it brought a tear to his eye when he saw what had actually happened.”
Despite the hardships and losses, Shelley’s spirit remains undimmed. He has been a fixture at the Southend branch of the Royal Naval Association for decades, serving as chairman, secretary, and treasurer over the years. Hawes reflected, “He really deserves something, he has been one of our founder members way back in 1980 I think it was when the actual club opened. He’s always been with us on Remembrance Sunday in his wheelchair, and somebody’s pushed him up to the cenotaph at Southend.”
The appeal for birthday cards has already begun to gather momentum, with outreach extending beyond Southend. Hawes has contacted an English teacher at a school in Normandy, hoping that students there will send cards as they do for British veterans at Christmas. The goal is to show Shelley—and by extension, all veterans of his era—that their sacrifices are remembered and honored by younger generations.
For the party itself, the branch is planning a tea party with plenty of guests, including many of Shelley’s shipmates and friends from the naval community. Hawes, who will bake the Victoria sandwich cake himself, emphasized that Shelley “will have a lot of friends there, especially shipmates from our branch.” The event promises to be a true celebration of a life defined by service, resilience, and camaraderie.
Anyone wishing to contribute to Shelley’s birthday surprise can send cards to the Royal Naval Association club at 73-79 East Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS2 6LQ. The hope is to collect at least 100 cards, each one a tangible symbol of gratitude and recognition. As Hawes put it, “He’s always been there, he’s always got a smile, he always wants to chat.”
Shelley’s reflections on the war are a sobering reminder of the cost of conflict—and the enduring bonds forged in its crucible. “The war killed so many people, it’s unbelievable,” he said. “All around, the Americans, Russians, all the Allies, the same with the Germans. But you were doing a job, the same as they had to. It’s either kill or be killed.” Yet, as his 100th birthday approaches, it’s clear that for Shelley and those who know him, the story is not just about sacrifice, but about community, remembrance, and the simple joys of life—like a good cake, a tot of rum, and the warmth of friends old and new.
As the big day arrives, the stack of birthday cards will serve as more than just a gesture—they’ll be a chorus of voices from across the country, saying thank you to a man who, through war and peace, has never stopped showing up for his comrades and his community.
