A 100-year-old veteran of the Second World War has been honoured with a certificate of appreciation and a lifetime membership of the Royal Naval Association.

Tony Cash served in the Merchant Navy during the war and was subsequently called up to the Royal Navy to help make up numbers, although he was still paid Merchant Navy wages.

He now lives at Weymouth Manor care home, where he was recognised by the Royal Naval Association alongside friends, family and fellow veterans.

Gareth Peaston is the Merchant Navy Association president for Weymouth and Portland, Royal Naval Association Chairman and vice-chairman of the Ferndown and district branch.

Dorset Echo: Tony Cash being presented the award by Gareth PeastonTony Cash being presented the award by Gareth Peaston (Image: Tom Lawrence)

He presented the certificate and the lifetime membership to Mr Cash at Weymouth Manor care home on April 8.

Mr Peaston said: "I was in a meeting in a while back with the chief executive of the Royal Naval Association. He said they had a merchant navy veteran who they were going to give a lifetime membership to, he was 98.

"I said we have one in our branch who is 100.

"I told him although Tony was Merchant Navy, he sailed for two years during the war in the Royal Navy.

"The idea today is to present Tony with his certificate of life membership and his badge and membership card.

"The Royal Navy Association was first formed here about 20 years ago, I was a founding member and so was Tony.

"In 2023, he was up on the stage at the Royal Albert Hall Festival of Remembrance.

"He is quite amazing."

Dorset Echo: Tony Cash was joined by family, friends and fellow veterans to receive the awardTony Cash was joined by family, friends and fellow veterans to receive the award (Image: Tom Lawrence)

Mr Cash said: "Everybody who served in the Merchant Navy during the war deserves this, they should all get one like that.

"Everybody was the same, whether you were lucky or not so lucky.

"I always think about the orphans, if a seaman went down they had a family, but if it was an orphan they are just a name, forgotten, so I like to see them always remembered."

Mr Cash was born in Kent on May 16, 1923, and went on to and joined the Merchant Navy in 1939 aged 16.

He served in the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy until the 1980s.

Mr Cash was in the Royal Navy during WW2, serving in Norway, Italy, France, Gibraltar and the Battle of the Atlantic.

After the war, he came to Weymouth and served on the cross-channel ferries until his retirement in the 1980s.