King Charles III, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey send birthday wishes to 100-year-old Anzac trooper’s daughter

TOP politicians from New Zealand and Britain sent cards to the daughter of an Anzac trooper as she celebrated her 100th birthday.

Edith “Mary” Greenland, whose father Albert Johnson was treated at Brockenhurst during the First World War, celebrated her big day with more than 50 friends and family members.

Among the surprises she received on her birthday was a card from New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, who wrote: “I hope you have a happy time celebrating this very special day”.

Mary also received cards from King Charles III, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, MP Caroline Noakes, the mayor of Tauranga in New Zealand Mahé Drysdale, Romsey mayor Cllr Russell Theron, and former Romsey mayor John Ray.

Mary’s daughter Jenny told the A&T: “Mum celebrated her 100th birthday with a party with 54 guests, many of whom travelled from New Zealand, and her son Rohan and his daughters Nicola and Caroline, from Canberra in Australia.

“There was a sit down lunch for all of us under a magnificent marquee. There was some rain but it did not dampen the celebrations.

“A New Zealand flag flew high at the entrance to the garden and mum was greeted by family and friends.”

Jenny said guests drank peach bellinis while Rohan read Mary’s cards aloud.

The day after the party Jenny and the rest of the family, excluding Mary, visited Brockenhurst’s Commonwealth war graves to pay their respects to Albert Johnson.

Albert had been treated at No 1 New Zealand hospital in the village after he lost his right arm tunneling on the frontline in France. After convalescing for several months in the Forest, Albert took a train from Brockenhurst to Aberdeen while on leave, where he met his future bride, Mary’s mum Edith Thom.

The couple later moved to New Zealand and Edith would only return to her native Aberdeen once more before her death aged 92.

Mary grew up to meet and marry a soil chemist named David, and the couple lived all over the world including Ghana, Nigeria and the Philippines.

Jenny said her grandparents Albert, known as Bertie, and Edith never visited Mary, and that his wounds - both physical and psychological - were such that he never left New Zealand after returning home. Mary now lives in the Romsey area to be near Jenny.