Preparations are underway in Manitoulin Island this weekend as local Navy veteran Allan Tustain will be celebrating his 100th birthday.
Tustain was on active service from 1941 to his honourable discharge in 1945. In that time, he travelled thousands of miles on the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific oceans.
He served on three Royal Canadian Navy War ships, including a Destroyer, Corvette and a Frigate on escort for 43 convoys in the Battle of the Atlantic. He also served in D-Day events.
He says he can still recall his time spent in the Navy during World War II.
"I spent most of my time there in the war in radar," said Tustain.
He has shared many stories with his family over the years, but they say the ones he shares were often more comical than scary.
"There was one I remember. They slept in hammocks… he went and got down one day, and you just jump into your boots when the horn sounded or whatever, and someone had put glue in his boots," said Jeanne Lefebvre, Tustain's daughter.
As he approaches his 100th birthday, Tustain credits his long life to keeping busy.
"I had a good go, a good time. And then I came home and got married," he said.
After his service, Tustain returned home to Manitoulin Island.
Over the years, he has been very involved in the community, from being active in the legion, to creating the first all-female hockey team on the island.
