12/05/2025
π WWII Heroine Celebrates 101st Birthday After VE Day 80th Anniversary π
On the eve of VE Day's 80th anniversary, we celebrated an extraordinary woman: Beryl Thornton, a proud WWII veteran and member of the Womenβs Royal Naval Service, who turned 101 years old on May 7th!
Beryl, who resides at Camberley Heights Care Home - Avery Collection, was honoured at a heartfelt ceremony attended by family, friends, local dignitaries, Armed Forces representatives, and the Mayor of Surrey Heath.
π¬ βItβs been such a privilege to serve my country,β Beryl shared, visibly moved. βTo be here today, surrounded by so many wonderful people, is truly a gift.β
Born in 1924, Beryl joined the WRNS in 1943, working as a coder for the Government Code and Cypher School. From Scotland to Ceylon, her encrypted messages helped drive Allied success in the Far East.
π¬ βThe work we did was crucial,β Beryl said. βIt was a tough time, but there were moments of joy tooβ¦ the camaraderie with the Navy and American forces kept us going.β
Berylβs birthday celebrations continued over the weekend with a charity dinner in support of the Camberley Branch - Royal British Legion, a cause close to Beryl's heart. π
Ian Chandler, Home Manager at Camberley Heights Care Home, reflected, βWe are incredibly proud to honour her at this significant moment in history. Her story is a reminder of the incredible contributions made by women during WWII, and it is an honour to be part of her journey.β π