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The former Royal Engineer will be joining local Armed Forces groups and veterans’ groups at Pontefract Park today (Saturday) as the district comes together to mark the outstanding contribution that our Armed Forces make to our country.

Born in Pontefract, Mr Brooks started work at the Prince of Wales Colliery in 1933 aged 14.

He was called up in March 1940 and served to the end of the Second World War in 1945, serving with 245 Field Company Royal Engineers as part of the 5th Infantry Division.

Former Royal Engineer Godfrey Brooks, now 103, will be at Pontefract's Armed Forces Day.

After training in York, the division went to Scotland to re-equip. Then to Lancashire where, in Ramsbottom , he helped to clean up after the Manches blitz.

In 1941, he headed to Ireland where he helped to build aerodromes and onto Rome in 1944 – where the division slept in the Coliseum.

Throughout his Forces career, he served in India, the Middle East, North Africa, Iran and Iraq, Palestine and India – landing on the beaches in Sicily in 1943 – taking part in the Battle of Anzio before moving to France, Belgium and Germany.

His division was the most travelled British Division in the Second World War.

Godfrey Brooks was called up in March 1940 and served to the end of the Second World War in 1945.

After the war he had several jobs including working at Ewbanks Liquorice factory and then Pollard Bearings in Ferrybridge.

Today’s Armed Forces Day celebrations at Pontefract Park will include a Spitfire fly-past, courtesy of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and the Wings Free Fall Parachute Display Team will be dropping in.

There will also be a Veterans Parade.

Wakefield Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Coun Steve Vickers, said: “Our fantastic Armed Forces Day celebration is an opportunity to bring people together to show their appreciation to those who have fought to protect our country and those still serving.

“With a packed programme of activities taking place throughout the day, it’s set to be a fun day out for all the family.”

Entertainment will include local dance groups, children’s rides and activities and lots more.

The event is being held at Pontefract Park, which played an important role in World War One, when the land was used as an operational airfield, from 10am-4.30pm.

Being such a large and flat open space, the racecourse and parkland area was a ready-made airfield and the BE2c aircraft of 33 Squadron and 76 Squadron Royal Flying Corps used the park as a landing ground from 1916 to 1918.

Entry to the Armed Forces Day event and on-site parking is free. If people can car share or use public transport, this will help reduce traffic and support the environment.

Armed Forces Day: 103-year-old Pontefract war veteran to join celebrations