The King has presented medals to a Kenyan believed to be one of the world’s oldest surviving Second World War veterans after he lost his military honours.
Charles handed the five medals to former corporal Samweli Mburia, during a poignant ceremony where other old soldiers who fought for Britain against Hitler’s regime also received replacements of their military honours.
It is claimed Mr Mburia is 117 years old and when told of his great age the King said: “I think you must have been living on wild honey and locusts.”
Many Kenyans who served with the British threw away their medals during the Mau Mau uprising against colonial rule in the 1950s, for fear of being accused of being British collaborators.
Charles shook the hand of the elderly veteran and thanked him for his service and lighted the mood by asking: “I hope all the right ones are there.”
Specialist medal auctioneers Spink sourced the original medals – 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medal – for Mr Mburia who served in Egypt, Abyssinia and Burma with the Royal Engineers.
The veteran’s daughter Idah Kagweni, 54, said her father’s medals were lost and described the mood among Kenya’s ex-military as the struggle to end British rule became violent.
She said: “They were fearful to be found with those medals because of the Mau Mau. During that time some of them threw them in the sea or they hid them and don’t know where they hid them.”
The veteran, speaking through his daughter, said: “I am so happy and proud to be receiving my medals from the King.”
