Oulton Manor celebrates RAF veteran resident’s 105th birthday

A special celebration was held at Oulton Manor care home in Leeds to honour resident Eric Gosnay, who recently marked the remarkable milestone of turning 105. 

In celebration of Eric’s milestone birthday and his history as a WW2 veteran, Oulton Manor care home put on a memorable party. The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Dan Cohen, paid a visit to honour Eric, as well as representatives from the RAF and the Royal British Legion who spoke about Eric’s extraordinary service. Local singer Karen Clegg rounded off the celebrations with a performance of songs from the early 20th century.

Eric's is a story that spans some of the most defining moments of the Second World War. He was called up into the RAF aged 18, after initial training at Squires Gate Airport in Blackpool, which included drills on the beach, physical training on the sands and in Derby Baths, before being posted overseas. His convoy departed from Greenock, Scotland and took a wide loop across the Atlantic to avoid the U-boat threat, losing two escort ships to torpedo attacks along the way. On arrival in Durban, South Africa, Eric's squadron boarded the Mauretania - a vessel fast enough to outrun any U-boat - bound for Egypt.

He spent the next two years based around the Great Bitter Lake on the Suez Canal, moving between Benghazi and Alexandria as the tide of the North Africa campaign shifted. After the declaration of peace, Eric enjoyed leave in Rome, visiting the Vatican, before being granted extended leave to return home and marry in 1945. 

Returning to Italy, he was sent back to the “Canal Zone” before being transferred to the United Kingdom for demobilisation. There, he was told he’d be promoted to corporal if he re-enlisted. Eric declined, coming back home to his new wife instead.

Eric has called Oulton Manor home since July 2025. The team there were proud to put on a celebration worthy of his remarkable life, and it was a day that meant as much to the colleagues and residents as it did to Eric himself.

Eric Gosnay, said:

It was a wonderful day and seeing everyone come together meant a great deal to me. It brought back a lot of memories of the people I served alongside, and the places we went. I’m very grateful to everyone at Oulton Manor for making it such a memorable day.

Lisa Owens, Home Manager at Oulton Manor care home, said:

Eric means a great deal to everyone here at Oulton Manor, and we wanted to make sure his 105th birthday felt like the occasion it truly is. He has lived an incredible life and served his country in a way that so few of us can imagine, and it was important to us that the day reflected that. As a home with Veteran Friendly Framework status, supporting and recognising those who have served is incredibly important to us and to see Eric smiling surrounded by so many people was everything we could have hoped for.

For more information about Oulton Manor care home, please click here.