A SOLDIER who survived the Second World War after TWICE being wounded in action has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Stephen O'Hagan Lynn was shot in the leg and injured by flying shrapnel while serving his country.

He escaped as the German army advanced on the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk in 1940 and took part in the Normandy Landings four years later.

Three years ago Stephen, from Earls Colne, was awarded the Legion of Honour – France's highest award – for his part in the country's liberation.

Speaking last week, son Tony said: "He has had an interesting life to say the least.

"He went through the Second World War and was wounded twice and was awarded the Légion d'Honneur for the D-Day landings.

"He also brought up five children and worked all his life, and today he's gone out to vote in the General Election!"

Stephen served as a lance corporal with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

Tony said: "He was at Dunkirk and they were lucky to get away.

"Their regiment was attacked and he was wounded. They went further down the coast and got taken off by boat so they avoided being captured and taken prisoners of war.

"They went back in 1944 a few days after D-Day because the weather was so bad they had to put it off.

"Then they moved from France into Germany and he was demobbed in 1945."

Stephen had met future wife Edith, who died in 2003, during the war.

Her family were from White Colne.

Edith's father was a shipping officer and she was born in China.

Tony said: "When the Japanese invaded China during the war they lost everything.

"Luckily, my mother and the older children had been shipped out back to England."

After the war Stephen moved from Scotland to England where he worked as a school teacher.

"Like so many of his generation, he came back and just got on with his life," said Tony.

"They didn't expect everything to be handed to them like they do now.

"He still has all his faculties and has an active interest in politics.

"He can talk on any subject and thinks we should stay in Europe.

"He had open heart surgery when he was 85.

"The surgeon told him his heart was good for another ten years and he's been proved right.

"He's got a black sense of humour like most of us Scots and says he's been in the last-chance saloon since he turned 80."

Stephen celebrated his 100th birthday at a family party at Chappel's Swan Inn at the weekend.