VE Day: Peterborough chippy gifts free dinner to city WW2 veteran

Netherton Fisheries provided the free meal to Ernest Bolder who lives in the city.

The 95-year-old has been isolated for eight weeks and is being cared for by his granddaughter Lisa Caswell.

Ernest received his food after the fish and chip shop put out a message offering two free meals to mark the special anniversary of victory in Europe during the war.

Lisa said: “I couldn’t be more proud than I am to have a grandfather who sacrificed so much for the freedom we have today.”

Ernest served in the Royal Engineers after signing up as a 17-year-old in Grimsby.

He served in Italy for most of the war, with his role to plant mines. He would sleep in an old church for many weeks with limited food.

Tragedy struck when he saw one of his friends involved in a land mine accident, resulting in his friend’s leg being blown off. Ernest had to save him while waiting for medics to arrive.

Ernest later spent six months in Austria before returning home at the end of the war, although there were no parties when he arrived back.

Netherton Fisheries owner Marcus Smith said: “We have just reopened and it was important to us to help the local community,

“It’s been an honour to cook for a World War Two veteran.”