Licensee hosts centennial for WWII veteran
The Fairway Inn in Moston, Lancashire, is set to host a buffet party for a local WWII veteran this Thursday, November 11.
Corporal Donald McCaig, who was born on Armistice Day 1921 in Miles Platting, will join his family at the pub which has been his local for his whole adult life and where he still visits four times a week.
Pub licensee, Mark Sweetland, said: “When Lindsey (McCraigs daughter) came in to say she wanted to put on a buffet for her father’s birthday, we really wanted to make it special.
“We are all so proud of what veterans like Donald did for us and for our liberty, the response from the local community has been overwhelming.”
Proud family
Sweetland has involved the local and military community to help show their appreciation for the sacrifices made by veterans like McCaig, including local school children designing cards and other treats including a piper playing from the Northenden pipe band, in which the licensee is a drummer.
McCaigs’ daughter, Lindsey, 54, said: “Dad is so special to us and we are so proud of him, this is going to be such a wonderful occasion.
“We wanted to put on a buffet for him but this has become so much more and we’re so grateful to Mark, the brewery and everyone involved for doing this.”
The Fairway Inn holds dear to the McCaig family as it has been a pub for them for generations, Mr McCaigs father Joseph, a WWI veteran who lost his arm during the conflict, was also a regular at the Fairway Inn, which is a Joseph Holt pub.
A good life
Lindsey added: “We are just so proud of dad, especially since he went off to fight when he was such a young man.
“He met our late mum, Hilda, just before he went away and they didn’t see each other for four years, but they went on to have a wonderful 80 years of married life together and had three children together, myself, and my brothers Stuart and Ian.”
This is not the first time the Fairway Inn has celebrated military veterans, McCaig celebrated his 98th birthday at the pub two years ago and they also honour veterans with a monthly breakfast where ex-servicemen and women get together to discuss their experiences.
