A remarkable story of drama, daring, companionship, loyalty, courage and fearlessness lies behind the life of a decorated old soldier from Ellesmere Port celebrating his centenary.

Family member Joe Evans approached the Chronicle to say: “My great uncle Job Witton MM (Military Medal) is celebrating his 100th birthday on July 12.

“Born and bred in Ellesmere Port the story is not just his age but having served in the Army in the Second World War and being taken prisoner having fought a rearguard action in Lille in order to let as many of his fellow servicemen return via the now infamous Dunkirk evacuation.

“Despite being captured by the Germans he managed to escape twice before walking across the Pyrenees into neutral Spain and making his way home many months later via Gibraltar.”

Military Medal holder Job Witton of Ellesmere Port who has celebrated his 100th birthday seen with his letter from the Queen and Regimental Birthday Card
Military Medal holder Job Witton of Ellesmere Port who has celebrated his 100th birthday seen with his letter from the Queen and Regimental Birthday Card

Born in Woodfield Road, Mr Witton’s first school aged four was the town’s ‘tin school’ which he left shortly after for John Street School on the same site or very near to. He then moved to William Stockton until leaving aged 14.

Mr Witton enlisted for military service on July 15, 1939 as one of the many peace-time conscripts who were called up for service prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.

After his basic training he was posted to the 5th Battalion of the King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). 1940 saw Mr Witton as a private in the infantry battalion.

A Know Your Neighbour local history article, published by Cheshire West and Chester Council, records the troops were on the road from Armentieres to Lille in northern France when about 60 of the men were separated from the rest of the company and captured by the Germans.

They had all their equipment taken and were treated badly on the march from Lille to Brussels.

Military Medal holder Job Witton of Ellesmere Port who has celebrated his 100th birthday. Mr Witton in his Army days
Military Medal holder Job Witton of Ellesmere Port who has celebrated his 100th birthday. Mr Witton in his Army days

However, just beyond Brussels, Mr Witton slipped out of the column into a wood until the road was clear.

Unfortunately he was recaptured and imprisoned. Conditions were not good with six men being kept in a cell measuring 8ft by 6ft with strict guards, rations of soup twice a day and work including transporting sacks of flour and even moving 1,000lb bombs.

Together with a fellow prisoner from the RAF, Mr Witton decided to make an escape attempt. After making ropes from bushes and other materials and collecting civilian clothes on July 28 they climbed down a 60ft wall at the back of the prison and started their quest for freedom.

The men survived on food and drink from farmers travelling across fields and keeping to side roads. They swam two rivers and shared a boat with a German soldier before reaching the frontier of Free France on August 14.

Dodging guards they then swam another river to reach unoccupied France.

After obtaining rail tickets from the authorities they were promptly locked up again eventually reaching Grenoble in the Alps where they stayed in barracks.

Military Medal holder Job Witton of Ellesmere Port who has celebrated his 100th birthday seen with Bowater dockers and former colleagues at his birthday party
Military Medal holder Job Witton of Ellesmere Port who has celebrated his 100th birthday seen with Bowater dockers and former colleagues at his birthday party

With the help of a pro-British Frenchman they escaped on September 13 and travelled to Lyon and Perpignan crossing the Pyrenees on September 15 with the help of a French gendarme.

At the border they were challenged by two guards who promptly started firing so they dived into woods for cover. The men took to the mountains travelling for two days without food until they arrived at a Spanish farm where they were given food and shelter.

After leaving the farm they were stopped by Spanish guards and again imprisoned as they had no papers.

They were destined for the concentration camp at Miranda del Ebro where after three weeks the British Embassy secured their release arriving in Gibralter by way of Madrid on November 14.

They returned to Liverpool on December 14 six months after first being taken prisoner.

Mr Witton was taken to London to be interviewed by MI5 and after a fortnight’s leave in Ellesmere Port was promptly posted to the Middle East.

He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field as an escaped prisoner of war which he received from the King. However a report at the time in the Chronicle’s sister paper the Ellesmere Port Pioneer ‘was short on content’ because Mr Witton was under instruction from the War Office not to give too much detail about his escape for fear of jeopardising the chances of others.

When he left the Army Mr Witton worked at Ellesmere Port’s Bowaters docks spending many happy years there before retiring in 1983.

Military Medal holder Job Witton of Ellesmere Port who has celebrated his 100th birthday seen with his birthday cake
Military Medal holder Job Witton of Ellesmere Port who has celebrated his 100th birthday seen with his birthday cake

He lived on Woodchurch Lane all his married life having moved into the house from new with his wife Kath. The couple were together for about 60 years although Kath sadly passed away about 10 years ago.

Mr Evans adds: “He has never driven a car, using public transport, bicycle and foot to get where ever he needed to. He still cooks all his own food.

“He goes to the Wheatsheaf on Overpool Road at least once a month for fish and chips and a pint of John Smiths and reminisces about it being built, having ‘popped in’ regularly over the last 70 years.

“He’s had a real passion for his garden, still growing veg for the family each year and up until four months ago still cut his own front and back lawns himself.”

The family celebrated Mr Witton’s centenary at the Shell Club in Whitby. A number of his former colleagues from Bowater’s attended his birthday party.