A BATTLE of Britain veteran celebrating her 100th birthday in Silsden was visited by her modern-day counterparts.

Edith Kupp, who served with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) during the Second World War, welcomed women from the present Royal Air Force.

Also among Edith’s guests were air cadets from 2431 (Keighley) Squadron, including Flight Sergeant Elisabeth King who was celebrating her 18th birthday.

Edith worked in the operations room during RAF missions in 1940, and was on duty listening when the plane flown by her fighter pilot fiancée Denis Wissler plunged to its doom.

Edith, nee Heap, still proudly displays Denis’s picture in her room at the Raikes care home, where she moved in 2016 after living most of her life in Ilkley.

Staff at the Raikes laid on a nostalgic day for Edith last Saturday, including a horse-drawn carriage ride around Silsden and a Vera Lynn impersonator.

Among Edith’s visitors were Warrant Officer Donna Trenholme, from 90 Signals unit at RAF Leeming, and Flight Sergeant Karen Swinney, a full-time reservist. Edith was also joined by daughter Bryony Fuller, 67, and grandson George Fuller, 33.

Edith served with the RAF as a ‘plotter’ during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940, meeting and becoming engaged to Denis Wissler of 17 Hurricane Squadron.

Denis was killed later that year, and Edith went on to serve as an Intelligence Officer helping guide Allied bombers to their targets in Germany.

Over the past three decades Edith has featured in many documentaries, TV interviews, books, magazine and newspaper articles. According to RAF historian Paul Davis she is possibly the last surviving ‘WAAF’ who served in 1940 in ops rooms.

Lynne Forshaw, activities coordinator at the Raikes, said: “Edith is a remarkable lady with a remarkable past, we just had to celebrate her birthday like this for her.

“Edith has a cracking sense of humour. She remembers everything and tells us funny stories.”

Edith’s daughter Bryony recalled how her mum used to tell her bedtime stories about her time in the RAF and one of them being how Edith hid under a table during a bombing.