The oldest surviving Desert Rat has celebrated his 103rd birthday, claiming he will never become an “old slippers and pipe man”.
Centenarian Jimmy Sinclair battled Nazi forces when he served as a gunner with the 7th Armoured Division in Africa during the Second World War.
He received medals for his role in the siege at Tobruk, the battle of El Alamein, and assaults on Monte Cassino in Italy during the war.
He later served for two years with the Allied Control Commission in Berlin before returning to Scotland to work as a slater. The hardy pensioner said he refuses to wear his medals out of solidarity for those he lost.
Family, friends and soldiers have paid tribute to the veteran after he celebrated his 103rd birthday, where he was overwhelmed with gifts of bottles of whisky.
A major and a gunner from The Chestnut Troop and soldiers from The Black Watch Association were among those to acknowledge his incredible life.
Mr Sinclair who celebrated his birthday on August 18 said: “I might take a little bit of a rest after a few parties but I like to keep my mind active by writing poetry, which I’ve been doing ever since I was at school.
“A lot of people have given me whisky and I plan on slowly making my way through it all with a dram a day.
“It was a great honour to have some soldiers come up to visit me for my birthday and acknowledge me for what I did in the war.
“I like to keep very upbeat and think I’m still getting by quite well and don’t see a day where I’ll ever be an old slippers and pipe man.”
Later in life, Mr Sinclair struck up a friendship with Manfred Rommel who was the son of the leader of the German troops in Africa Field Marshal Erwin Rommel that he had spent years fighting against.
Mr Sinclair also says he is good friends with Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, to whom he sends a letter once a month.
The pensioner has been a Scottish nationalist his whole life and says he keeps in touch regularly with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and former First Minister Alex Salmond.
His birthday bash was organised by the Kirkcaldy Cultural Trust, following a dinner laid on by friends and family at the town’s Victoria Hotel on August 18.
His celebrations were attended by a German family he became friends with after meeting them in the war.
Following the passing of his wife in 1989, the family invited Mr Sinclair to stay with them, which was an offer he accepted and saw him stay with them for 22 years before returning to Fife.
Friend and local MSP David Torrance paid tribute to the pensioner, adding: “He is a remarkable man who did so much for his country, and is still doing so, and I’m delighted to celebrate his birthday with him.”