Summerfield Park Retirement Village celebrates residents 105th birthday
Long-time resident Jim Martin, a beloved war hero and music lover, turned 105 this year. He tells us his story, from growing up in England, to meeting the love of his life and moving to SA.
Family, friends, and staff at Summerfield Park Retirement Village gathered to celebrate a truly special moment, the 105th birthday of Ernest James Martin, fondly known as Jim.
Born in Southeast London, Jim’s story is one of dedication, bravery, and love. He was born to Lily and Alfred Martin, and had one brother, Walter, who sadly passed away. From a young age, Jim showed a natural skill for engineering. He attended a technical high school and later completed an apprenticeship at Woolwich Arsenal. In 1941, he graduated in Mechanical Engineering (Honours) and was awarded the William Seymour prize for being top of his class.
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“While working at the arsenal, for the re-armourment of Britain, WWII broke out and I enlisted, becoming the second engineer of the engineering division attached to the 51st Highland Division,” Jim shared.
As part of the Royal Engineers, Jim played a key role in tank recovery during the Battle of El Alamein in 1942. He also served in the 1943 Battle of Sicily and the Allied invasion of Italy.
His commitment to duty saw him rise to the rank of Major, and earn three star-campaign medals for preparing Britain’s defences during the Battle of Britain, and for his service in the North Africa and Italian campaigns.
Despite the hardships of war, it was also during this time that Jim met the love of his life, Esmé Imogen Morgan, a South African nurse serving in North Africa. “We met on a blind date,” Jim smiled. “It didn’t take long to realise we were serious. We married in Cairo in September 1944.”
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In 1946, Jim and Esmé moved to South Africa to be near her family. Jim continued his engineering career and later became managing director at Drury Wickman, a company that imported machine tools from England.
The couple had two children, Ray and Heather. Sadly, both Esmé and Heather have since passed on, still, Jim counts himself blessed to be surrounded by his loving son Ray, five grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. “They bring me so much joy,” he said warmly.
Jim retired at the age of 60, but his passion for learning never stopped. He went on to study music and completed a Bachelor of Arts in Music through UNISA.
Jim lived in the suburbs of Waverley and Lonehill before moving to Summerfield Park Retirement Village in February 2015. “I really love the village, especially the beautiful gardens,” he said. “The staff and residents are wonderful. The caregivers treat us with the utmost respect.”
At 105, Jim is not only a witness to history; he’s a shining example of a life well lived, marked by courage, love, learning, and gratitude.
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