Cambridgeshire war veteran, 101, named in New Year Honours List

A Second World War veteran in Cambridgeshire who has helped his local Royal British Legion branch for almost 40 years is being recognised for his service.

Ed Kelly served as an RAF navigator for more than four decades, taking part in operations during the war, the Berlin Airlift and the Suez Crisis in his career.

Since retiring from the forces, the 101-year-old - who will receive an MBE in the King's New Year Honours List - has become secretary, chair and president at his local Royal British Legion branch in St Ives.

"I was more surprised to get this, but you work as a team so I'm not just a one man band," Ed said.

"Around 56,000 were killed in Bomber Command alone during the war years, and I think of the good chaps I met who fell by the wayside."

Ed - originally from the North East - served during D-Day and attended a commemoration event in Cambridge earlier this year.

At that time, the veteran was tasked with stopping German enemy boats, known as E-boats, at the time of the D-Day landings.

After leaving the forces, Ed has helped raise £400,000 for the Poppy Appeal and has become locally known as 'The Poppy Man' for his efforts.

"I used to set up a stall in the middle of town and used to switch on the radio in my car with marching songs, and had everyone marching up and down town," he said.

"My older friends used to come and say 'hello Ed, still at it again?' so I stuck to my name 'Poppy Man'."

'I was very proud of my time in the Air Force'

Ed's also been presented with a centenary award by the RBL and recognised in their centenary wall of honour for his contribution.

"The Poppy Appeal means a lot to me because it reminds me of all the good chaps I flew with and died by the wayside," he said.

"It doesn't matter how good you are as a pilot or a navigator, you have to have a little bit of luck as well.

"I think that (the Poppy Appeal) alone is a case of saying 'thank you', and what can I do to help some of the others that didn't quite make it."

Ed also gives presentations to schools, cadets and youth organisations, and has been presented with a lifetime achievement award by St Ives Town Council.

"I go round the schools giving talks to the kids, telling them what the poppy is for and why you should wear it with pride, and I was very proud of my time in the air force," he added.

Who else has been named in the King's New Year Honours List?

Knight Bachelor:

• Warren East CBE: Lately chief executive, Rolls Royce. For services to the economy and to net zero (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire). East had left Cambridge-based microchip design company ARM which he helped become global partners with the likes of Apple and Samsung, before taking up his post at Rolls Royce, which he joined in April 2015.

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE):

• Professor Sir Leszek Krzysztof Borysiewicz (Knights Grand Cross): Lately Chair, Cancer Research UK. For services to Cancer Research, to Clinical Research, to Medicine and to Charities (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire). In July 2016, Sir Leszek was appointed as a Trustee to Cancer Research UK and then as chairman in November of that year. Knighted in 2001 for his work in vaccines, Sir Leszek also helped in Europe’s first trial of a vaccine for human papillomavirus to treat cervical cancer.

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE):

• Professor Ijeoma Florence Uchegbu: President, Wolfson College, Cambridge. For services to the Chemical Sciences and to Inclusion and Diversity (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE):

• Professor Gillian Clare Carr: Professor of Conflict Archaeology and Holocaust Heritage, and Fellow, St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge. For services to Holocaust Research and Education (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

• Professor Rachel Angharad Oliver: Professor of Materials, University of Cambridge. For services to Materials Engineering (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

• Professor Shahina Pardhan: Founding Director, Vision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University. For services to Optometry and Preventing Blindness (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE):

• Christopher Badger: Executive Director of Adult Care Services, Hertfordshire County Council. For services to Adult Social Care (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

• Poppy Clare Veronica Baroness Gustafsson OBE: Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Darktrace. For services to the Cyber Security Industry (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

• Dr Roger Farrant Bland OBE: Curator, Numismatist and Chair, Treasure Valuation Committee. For services to Heritage (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE):

• Dr James Biddulph: Lately Headteacher, University of Cambridge Primary School, Cambridge. For services to Education (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

• Tessa Gillian Howard: Founder, Inclusive Sportswear CIC and Hockey Player. For services to Inclusive Sportswear for Women and Girls (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

• George Edwin Ridley Kelly: President, St Ives Branch, The Royal British Legion. For voluntary services to the Royal British Legion and to Royal Air Force Veterans (St Ives, Cambridgeshire).

• Dr Lam Lei Bonnie Kwok: Headteacher, London Hackney Chinese Community School, London Borough of Hackney. For services to Education (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire).

• John Dudley Watkinson: Chair, Vistage International. For services to Business (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire).

• Beatrice Dorothy Wilson: Food Writer and Journalist. For services to Food Writing and Food Education (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

British Empire Medal (BEM):

• Richard Howard Astle: For services to Charity and to the Environment (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire).

• David Richard Chambers: For services to Music and to the community in Somersham, Cambridgeshire (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire).

• Paul Michael Fellows: Chair, Cambridge Astronomical Association. For services to Astronomy (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

• Malcolm John Fletcher: Lately Secretary, Ely Military Band. For services to the community in Ely, Cambridgeshire (Ely, Cambridgeshire).

• Emily Halban: Co-Founder, A Space Between. For services to Tackling Isolation, Loneliness and Anxiety through Art (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

• Benjamin Lee Thomas Hawkins: Emergency Dispatcher and Community First Responder, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust. For services to Emergency Care, Staff Wellbeing and Mental Health (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire).

• Mark Long: Founding Team Member and Producer, Sawston Youth Drama. For services to Musical Theatre for Young People in Cambridgeshire (Cambridge, Cambridgeshire).

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