AN AMBLESIDE war veteran will be celebrating his 100th birthday in November this year.

Jack Ainscow, who will be 100 years old on November 4, joined the Navy in 1939.

During his life he served at sea as a coder in telegraphy aboard Navy ships in the Arctic Convoys which travelled through hard conditions.

Jack left the Navy in 1947, he met his wife Barbara in 1946 and they married in 1947. Barbara had also put in 6 years of active War Service.

They had two children.

William Stuart was born on December 21, 1948 and Lydia Margaret born December 20, 1950. Lydia has two children Simon and Florence and now Simon has three children, so Jack is a happy great grandfather.

After the war he joined the family Cotton Mill firm John Ainscow Co. Ltd, in Horwich, Bolton.

The Mill specialised in the manufacture of cotton products such as towels, bedspreads, and nappies.

Jack’s father passed away in 1967, the Mill carried on for three more years with Jack at the helm, but in 1970, along with other local Mills production became unviable and the Mill, along with other mills nearby was closed.

In 1985, Jack and Barbara moved to Ambleside as they both enjoyed Lakeland life and walks on the fells.

Unfortunately, Barbara passed away in 2004.

Jack still lives in their home in Ambleside today.

The Mail:

He has been an active walker, with local friends, enjoyed travelling around the UK

In 2015, at the age of 94, he was awarded the Ushakov Medal in recognition of his service in the Second World War’s Arctic convoys. He was given the award 70 years after his service in the navy.

The Medal of Ushakov, named after Russia’s equivalent of naval hero Horatio Nelson, was created on March 3, 1944, but the British government prevented them from being handed out.

Mr Ainscow was handed his medal by MP Tim Farron at the Langdale Chase Hotel. In 2001, Jack met with fellow veterans at a reunion in Penrith.