Dave Iggo is one of the few remaining living Spitfire pilots from the war.
He will celebrate his 100th with fellow residents at the Edith Cavell Lifecare and Village in Sumner - and family members at a safe distance.
“It’s very sad that we can’t give him a hug on this momentous occasion, but the village has allowed us to celebrate on the lawn in front of his patio,” Dave’s daughter Sue Charmley said.
“There was supposed to be a big party.
"We had the Sumner Surf Life Saving Club booked out with people coming from all over the world and around the country.”
He departed Lyttelton for the war on his 22nd birthday not knowing where he was heading to, said Mrs Charmley.
His destination was England, via the Panama Canal. Once in England he was involved in instructing pilots before going into combat himself.
“He could fly a Spitfire before he could drive a car. Before he went to war he just rode motor-cycles,” she said.
He would escort Allied bombers on their way to attack targets in Germany.
Dave was also heavily involved in attacking targets in Germany, strafing transport, bridges and railway sidings.
“The yanks were trigger happy too,” she said.
Dave would have been part of the squadron’s involvement in the Normandy D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, but he was on leave for his wedding four days later.
On D-Day and during the week following the squadron shot down nine enemy aircraft with no losses.
“He used to say mum’s daily commute to central London was more dangerous than what he was doing.
Dave returned to New Zealand after the war to become a teacher.
“They were married for 72 years, but mum died in 2016. It was the most magical marriage, they were so happy.”
They have two daughters, Mrs Charmley and Jill Edwards.
Mrs Charmley paid special tribute to the Edith Cavell home, which she said had been “first class” during the Covid-19 situation.
- Additional reporting Barry Clarke
