A "KIND and loving" Newport man who served as an RAF mechanic during World War Two is celebrating his 100th birthday today, Monday, March 27.
John Tennant, known as Jack, said he put his long life down to "eating and drinking well" - he loves a glass of wine - and "plenty of walking".
Mr Tennant was born in the city in 1923 and was the youngest of five children.
His mother had a drapery shop and his father had a sweet shop, both in Corporation Road.
Mr Tennant worked in his dad's shop as a young boy, and after school would rush home to the shop to churn the ice-cream.
It was described a popular shop because it was one of the only ones that sold ice-cream in the area.
After leaving high school at 13, Mr Tennant became an apprentice at a car garage, and afterwards took a job at Girling's in Cwmbran, where he manufactured car parts.
Mr Tennant was in this job until he was called up to join the RAF during World War Two, at the age of 19.
He spent the war in Jordan, serving as a mechanic on the warplanes that were being used in battle. Once the war was over, Mr Tennant returned home and went back to his job at Girling's, and this is where he met his first wife, Kathleen.
They went on to marry and settled in Newport, raising two children, Barrington and Meryl, and spending many summers on holiday in a caravan that Mr Tennant had built himself.
His children described their father as "a kind loving father and husband" who was "always under the car bonnet".
Sadly, Mrs Tennant died at a young age, and Mr Tennant brought up Meryl with the support of family surrounding them.
Mr Tennant continued to work hard, building and fixing things and taking care of his children, and after he retired travelled to Germany, where his son now lives, and together the two of them built a plane.
Jack and his son Barrington
Mr Tennant has travelled widely during his retirement and has always gone to church - and it was there he met his second wife, Phyllis.
Her two sons and two daughters also have also become an important part of Mr Tennant's life.
Mr Tennant also has five grandchildren - Gareth, Leonie, Daniel, John, and Timothy - as well as eight grandchildren: Rhys, Annabelle, Chloe, Adelyn, Nora, Eleri, Lloyd, and Ben.
He has remained active, and is currently in a residential home and continues to walk for hours each day.
He spent Sunday with relatives and is celebrating his milestone birthday at the Spring Gardens residential home, where staff have organized a party and entertainment to celebrate.
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