A NEWPORT man who won honours for his service in the Second World War celebrated his 100th birthday.

Major Harold Morris, who ran a successful greengrocers’ in the city for nearly 30 years, marked the milestone with a family party at his home in Groves Road.

He was born in Merthyr Tydfil, where he worked as a greengrocer before going into the services in 1939 after the outbreak of war.

After being selected for the Officer Cadet Training Unit, he trained for two years in London before being assigned to the Pioneer Corps – renamed the Royal Pioneer Corps after the war for its meritorious work.

Major Morris spent three years in Europe from 1942, in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany, where he was commanding a barracks at Osnabruck when the war ended in 1945.

On his return home he was highly decorated, receiving The Campaign Medal, The 1939-45 Star, The France and Germany Star, plus The Defence Medal and Victory Medal.

He then returned to Merthyr Tydfil, where he became a store manager and area manager for a grocery firm, before buying his own business, HJ Morris, in Cardiff Road, Newport, in 1953.

Major Morris ran the business until he was 70 in 1982, before working for a shipping company and nursing his wife, Tydfil, who died seven years ago.

The former member of Rogerstone Bowls Club now spends his time reading and watching all sports on television.

He celebrated his 100th birthday with daughter Judith, 69, and grandchildren Byron, 43, and Tudor, 39. He also has four greatgrandchildren, Olivia, ten, Dylan, eight, Sophia, seven, and Max, three.