A FORMER Army captain from Southbourne said that he feels lucky to have reached the age of 105.

Horace D’Arcy, known to friends as Horry, was joined by a group of friends for morning coffee at the Captain’s Club Hotel in Christchurch yesterday. He makes a visit six days a week, but takes Sundays off, and was treated to a handmade birthday cake, balloons, presents and cards for the special occasion.

Mr D’Arcy, who worked his way up to the role of captain of the Royals Corps of Signals during his National Service after joining as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers, says he had never considered that he would become a centenarian.

Asked how he feels about turning 105, he said: “I feel much the same as I did before. I don’t feel any different. Actually my legs get tired, but they would do pushing me around all the time, but otherwise I am quite good.

“I think it’s just good fortune, really, but I suppose it helps that I don’t drink or smoke. I had a shop once and I used to sell cigarettes but never smoked.

“I’m very lucky, as I’ve got a lot of good friends around here who keep me young.”

When asked what a favourite moment is from his life, he said: ““When I was a boy, we went out to Mauritius and that was very good. It’s a holiday island now, but it wasn’t then. My father was in the Army and we got posted there. That was very nice.”

Once he left education, Mr D’Arcy said that he wanted to become an electrical engineer but couldn’t find that role in Bournemouth, so he trained as an electrician and then a printer compositor, which he points out is a job that no longer exists. After completing his National Service, who worked in a tobacconist for a number of years before selling the shop on his younger brother’s advice, which enabled to fly his wife out to see family in New Zealand. On his return, he worked for an insurance company until his retirement at 65.

He said that he now spends his days socialising with friends and watching the TV, although he said that his sight has deteriorated significantly.

Juliet Pull, guest relations manager at the Captains Club Hotel, said: “Horry is quite simply a delight and a pleasure to see every day.

“He puts men 20 years younger in the shade and is still walking with ease, chatting like no tomorrow and having a good laugh.”