AN INVITATION to Buckingham Palace was the last thing 82-year-old war veteran Ronald Black expected when he checked his morning post.

The invitation was from The Not Forgotten Association, founded in 1920 to support the serving wounded, injured or sick and for ex-service men and women with disabilities.

Mr Black served in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953, but he injured his arm and was pensioned out of the Army in 1951.

He said: “The invitation was in relation to my services in Korea. My time there was in 1950 to 1951 but the war went on until 1953.”

Mr Black was too young to be in the Second World War, being a Sea Cadet at the time, but joined the regular Army afterwards.

The invitation for Mr Black and his wife Marty was to Buckingham Palace on June 26 for a garden party in the presence of the Queen and The Duke of York.

Mr Black said: “My first thought when seeing the invitation was that it’s lovely to still be remembered and appreciated for the help I gave all those years ago.”

The Not Forgotten Association helps and supports approximately 10,000 individuals of all ages, whenever and wherever they served.

Mr Black had a successful career in sales and was born in Yorkshire but has lived in West Bay for the past 35 years.