A Polish ex-soldier who served at Monte Cassino and settled in Huddersfield after the war has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Jozef Piwowarski, who lives at Paddock , marked the occasion with a family party at Paddock Conservative Club, where he received a card from the Queen and was also delighted to get video messages of congratulations from his relatives in Poland.

Jozef, who was born in Tarnuwek, southern Poland, was a young man living in Bialystok when the Second World War broke out. When the region came under Russian occupation, he was deported to Russia in 1940. He was released in 1941 to serve with the Polish armed forces. His unit crossed the Soviet-Iraninan frontier in 1942 where it came under British command.

He served in Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt and Italy, where he saw action at Monte Cassino, one of the bloodiest battles of the war, in which Allied forces assaulted German forces strongly entrenched in a monastery on a rocky hill south-east of Rome.

Among other engagements, Jozef saw action at the battle for the Ancona/Guistav-Hitler line and the battle for Bologna.

Jozef Piwowarski of West View Rise, Paddock celebrates his 100th birthday (right) and his war medal from Monte Cassino (left).

Jozef received a number of medals for his war service, including Polish decorations the Cross for Valour and the Cross of Monte Cassino as well as the British 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star and the 1939-45 War Medal.

He came to Huddersfield in 1946 and was discharged two years later to work in textiles. His first job was as a textile trainee at John Crowther & Sons Ltd at Union Mills, Milnsbridge, where he met his wife, June, who was a weaver.

The couple were married in 1950 at St Patrick’s RC Church in Huddersfield and set up home in Paddock.

Jozef worked at a number of mills during his career, eventually retiring at Marsh Mills, Luck Lane, Marsh, at the age of 65.

Jozef and June, who died 22 years ago, had three daughters, Christine, Helen and Joanne, and a son, Peter, who sadly died last year. Jozef also has 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. The youngest, Bessie, was eight weeks old on the same day as Jozef’s 100th birthday party.

Helen said her father still enjoyed his weekly night out at Paddock Conservative Club. “He likes a pint and a game of dominoes,” said Helen. “He also plays patience on his own – with two decks of cards! He still has his sense of humour.”