The 90th birthday of John MacCoy (From Dorset Echo)

The 90th birthday of John MacCoy

10:57am Tuesday 10th April 2012 in Celebrating

AN ex-serviceman and recipient of an OBE celebrated his 90th birthday.

John MacCoy celebrated his landmark birthday with an afternoon out with family at Abbotsbury Tropical Gardens.

Mr MacCoy lives at Steepleton Manor nursing home at Winterbourne Steepleton and said he had a lovely birthday.

He said: “I had a good day, it was lovely.”

He was born in Northwood in Middlesex and during the Second World War he served on the battleship HMS Malaya as a seaman.

After the war he worked as a ship broker and received an OBE for his work on the Baltic Exchange.

He produced 50 ships for the Baltic Exchange and they were sent down to the Falkland Islands.

The exchange is a membership organisation at the heart of the global maritime marketplace.

It provides daily shipping market information, maintains ship-broking standards and helps to resolve disputes.

Mr MacCoy said he was enjoying his time at Steepleton Manor. On his birthday residents got involved in painting eggs for their Easter celebrations.

Staff at the care home also planted a tree in his honour.