A FORMER nurse who served in North Africa and Italy and rose to the rank senior sister has clocked up 100 years of memories.

Mary Stevens, who resides at the Priory House care home in Prestatyn, celebrated her milestone birthday on Friday, April 26 surrounded by friends and family.

Mary, who was born in Failsworth, a town in Greater Manchester, used to holiday in Dyserth with her parents, three brothers and two sisters during the 1930s.

The family moved to Elderslie, in St Asaph Road, Dyserth, and in the 40s, Mary purchased a bungalow in Lower Voel Road.

Rhyl Journal:

Mary rose to the rank of captain

The former avid reader, who used to love her knitting machine, trained at the Manchester Royal Infirmary and after her wartime service with the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QA), where she rose to the rank of captain (senior sister), she worked at the War Memorial Hospital in Rhyl as Senior Orthopaedic Sister.

Adrian Downing, Mary’s nephew, said: “She was fortunate to be joined in Gwynfa, number 43, which was the house name, by major Steve Stevens. She had served with major Stevens years before in the QA’s and thus became Mrs Stevens in 1966.

“At 95 years young, in 2014, age finally caught up with Mary and she was obliged to leave Gwynfa for the safer surroundings of Priory House in Prestatyn.

Rhyl Journal:

Mary trained at the Manchester Royal Infirmary

“Her birthday went really well. She had a visit from the QA Chester branch in the morning, with attendance from a Lieutenant Colonel in full dress uniform.”

Kully Hayer, deputy manager at the Priory House, said: "Mary is a lovely character. She enjoys life and knows all the girls.

"Her birthday went great. She enjoyed Prosecco and she had a nice stream of visitors. She enjoyed a cake as well as a nice Marks and Spencer buffet. She got about 40 birthday cards."

Mary was the youngest of three girls.

She was never able to have children, but didn’t elaborate further. Her husband served in the army medical corps, latterly in Far East theatre, rising to major.

Mary, who is registered blind, is a music lover and has a fondness of the Proms season. She used to regularly travel to the festival held in Hay-on-Wye.