Northlander Ross Maclaren celebrates 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends

Ross Maclaren with his daughters Tina and Jennifer and his son Chris.

Celebrating his 100th birthday has come as a pleasant surprise for no-fuss Northlander Ross Maclaren who’s “chugged along” in life and just got on with things.

The former pilot who served in World War II as a wireless operator turns 100 on Monday and on Saturday celebrated the milestone with family and friends in Whangārei.

Maclaren has also received his royal birthday card from King Charles, and cards from Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro and the National Party.

“I can’t believe it,” he said.

“I just got on with my life and never thought about age, and suddenly it’s crept up on me.

“I just did what came along in life.”

Maclaren was born in Dunedin in 1924 and spent five years in the Royal New Zealand Air Force from age 18.

Maclaren said he has “been around a bit” with his job when he got back from the war, managing clothing factories around New Zealand, mostly in Dunedin and Christchurch.

He spent eight years in Fiji manufacturing clothing, and moved to Northland when he returned in 1993.

He lived in Paihia for a couple of years helping his cousin manage hotels, then moved to Whangārei where he lives with his wife Annie and stepdaughter Maureen.

Ross with his stepdaughter Maureen, his wife Annie, and Maureen’s son MJ.

He spent all of his time in World War II serving in Guadalcanal, one of the Solomon Islands, a fierce campaign where troops battled not only the Japanese but heat, mosquitoes, disease, dense vegetation and the battle that ensued.

But he said he felt “safe” with the Americans around.

“It’s just a big adventure when you’re 18. You just go along with the flow and it’s all a big adventure.

“I was there for a couple of years. When I came back from there, they sent me up to Fiji.”

After the war, Maclaren learned to fly small planes.

He got his pilot’s licence in Dunedin and did “quite a lot of flying” in single-engine planes.

During five of his retirement years, he worked for a small airline that ran flights between Kerikeri and Auckland, managing the Whangārei side of the operation.

Now he spends his time modelling ships and aircraft and reading.

Annie and Maureen organised his birthday lunch at St Stephens Church, Onerahi on Saturday which saw about 70 family members and close friends turn out.

His three children - two daughters and a son - travelled north from Christchurch and Auckland and “quite a few” of his seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren were also there.

When he spoke to the Advocate on Friday, Maclaren said he was looking forward to the gathering and seeing all his family again.

“I’m looking forward to it but I don’t like fusses, I’d be quite happy to go to the Thai restaurant and have a meal.

“It’ll be good to see all the family again, I haven’t seen them for a while.”

Maclaren said there wasn’t any great secret to living out a century - he didn’t do anything fancy with his diet or exercise.

“I don’t think anything about it,” he said.

“I seem to chug along and do what I want to do.

“Lately had a bad dose of the flu which has knocked me but other than that I stay reasonably healthy.

“I’ve been well looked after by my wife and stepdaughter Maureen.”

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering health, roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.