Major General Ian Lyall Grant MC with family and staff at Colten Cares Wellington Grange in Chichester celebrating his 104th birthday
A distinguished veteran of the Second World War Burma campaign and later an accomplished author has reached a magnificent milestone with the celebration of his 104th birthday.
In the month that world leaders gathered in nearby Portsmouth to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, Major General Ian Lyall Grant MC and his family celebrated his birthday in style at Colten Care’s Wellington Grange in Chichester.
When Ian was born in 1915, the Great War was raging, the RMS Lusitania was sunk by enemy fire and revolution was happening on the streets in Mexico.
Ian was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1935. In 1938 he was posted to India to join King George V’s Own Bengal Sappers and Miners.
After three years in India, half spent on the North-West Frontier, Ian raised a new Sapper and Minor field company in late 1941. With them he sailed for Burma in March 1942 and joined the 17th Indian Division outside Rangoon.
He remained with this division until July 1944. Sir Ian was awarded the Military Cross in 1945 and has written extensively about the Burma campaign.
After the war he served for ten months with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan before returning to Britain. He retired from the British Army in 1970.
Later he spent five years in the Civil Service as an under-secretary, five years as a defence consultant and ten years as a gemmologist.
To mark his birthday, family and staff gathered including Ian’s son Sir Mark Lyall Grant, a former senior diplomat and the UK’s National Security Advisor until 2015.
Emily Hudson, Senior Companionship Team Leader at Wellington Grange, said: “We were delighted to be able to celebrate such an important birthday with Ian and his family.
“Our Wellington Grange team pride themselves on making residents lives as fulfilled and happy as possible.”
Wellington Grange offers the highest quality residential and nursing care from its location close to the historic city centre of Chichester.
The home is part of Colten Care, an independent and family-run company determined to set the highest standards in all aspects of care for the elderly.
- With more than 30 years’ experience, Colten Care is an award-winning family-owned care home company. It has 21 quality care homes covering Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire and Sussex and offers a range of services spanning residential, nursing and dementia care. Colten Care is determined to set the highest standards in all aspects of care of the older person. Colten Care is also committed to raising money for charitable causes. In the past year, residents and team members have raised more than £30,000 for charity. For more information, visit www.ColtenCare.co.uk.
- Media enquiries to Scott Sinclair, Deep South Media, on 01202 534487, 07500 796666 or @deepsouthmedia.
