A SECOND World War veteran celebrated his 100th birthday with West Midlands Police.
Prince Albert Jacob – who is known as Jake among his friends met with Chief Constable Craig Guildford, who gave Jake a special card.
Prior to meeting with the Chief, Jake met the force’s most highest-ranking black officers, Superintendent Sam Batey and Superintendent Karl Thomas as well as the Police Race Action Lead Sergeant Jonathan Benjamin.
Jake also met with the Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands, Derrick Anderson, and representatives of the Black and Asian Police Network (BAPA).
Born in Trinidad in 1925, Jake was enlisted into the RAF at just 17 years old as World War Two was raging.
He was among the many people from British colonies who volunteered to aid with the war effort and after his service ended he settled in the Midlands in 1947.
Despite his war service, Jake and his late wife Mary experienced prejudice and discrimination when they first got together but Jake was determined to make their life together in England work.
Settling in Solihull, he worked in manufacturing before securing a job with the Post Office where he worked for 32 years.
A natural sportsman, Jake joined a local athletics club and he competed in both national and international events, quickly gaining the respect of his peers for his prowess.
After retiring in the mid-1980s, Jake volunteered for the probation service, supervising offenders sentenced to community work in old people’s homes in Birmingham.
In his later years, Jake has also undertaken educational outreach work to spread the message of tolerance and understanding among the younger generation, talking to school children about his wartime experience and the racism he faced in England after serving his country.
BAPA guest committee member Sandra Dubidat-Ferguson said: “We recently marked Windrush Day with a series of events celebrating the contribution made to Britain by Caribbean and other migrant communities in the years following the Second World war up to the present day.
“Jake symbolises the pride and determination of these communities, serving the country with distinction during the war before striving to build a life for himself here through sheer hard work and determination, often facing prejudice and discrimination along the way.
“He overcame these hurdles to become much respected and well-loved within his workplace, local neighbourhood, across the athletics world and beyond. He’s still in great shape and we were delighted to host him here and to wish him a very happy 100th birthday.”
