A former prisoner of war now living in Bitterne celebrated his 105th birthday, smiling with his family as he received a birthday card from the King.

Bert Warne was suited and booted to celebrate the big day on December 10.

He was born in Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1990, but when he was nine, he moved to Southampton to make his father’s work commute on the transatlantic shipping" target="_blank">liners easier.

The 105-year-old has lived in the city ever since, being awarded the title of Freeman of the City of Southampton in 2022 for his work ensuring the legacy of those who sacrificed their life for the city are remembered.

Bert's son-in-law Patrick Hayward said that Bert was 'delighted' to receive a surprise birthday card from the King and Queen, saying that nobody in the family had even applied for it.

"We had to sign for it, but it was an amazing present that we weren't expecting," Patrick said.

Bert standing with his two grandsons, Joe and Henry.Bert standing with his two grandsons, Joe and Henry. (Image: Supplied) Bert grew up in Woolston and joined the army in 1938, eventually being stationed across the UK with the Royal Engineers.

He then worked on an American ship headed towards the Middle East.

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But the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour shortly after Bert jumped on board, so as America entered World War Two, the English engineer was dropped off in India.

From here, he made his way to Singapore with other British soldiers, but his boat was bombed by Japan and caught fire.

“Bert was in the sick bay, and when they evacuated the boat, they forgot everyone in the sick bay,” his son-in-law Patrick Hayward said.

“He escaped the fire by jumping out of a porthole and was picked up by a row boat from New Zealand who took him to Singapore.”

Bert was 'delighted' to receive a birthday card from King Charles II.Bert was 'delighted' to receive a birthday card from King Charles II. (Image: Supplied) It only got worse for Bert though, who was one of 60,000 taken prisoner to work on the Burma and Thailand train line once Japan invaded Singapore.

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His weight dropped to six and a half stone after being forced to eat a diet Patrick described as ‘just brown rice and whatever could be foraged from the jungle.’

Around 16,000 British and Commonwealth troops died while building the railway.

Bert was freed in August 1945, weeks after the war had finished everywhere else in the world.

For his birthday party on December 10, Bert went round to his daughter’s house and spent about seven hours with his wider family.

They had a glass of wine, and while Bert has not been to live football for about 15 years, the former Saints regular spent the evening watching Liverpool take on Girona.