“I’ve got no aches and pains. I don’t take any tablets or medications. I never see a doctor”
A WWII veteran celebrating his 106th birthday has revealed the secret to his long life – eating one sweet food every single day. Great-great grandfather Leslie Lemon, from Aylesbury, Bucks., favours Bird’s custard but always has a tin of Ambrosia’s ready made in the pantry for emergencies.
His current favourite treat is rhubarb and custard – but is also partial to trifle and custard – and prefers his sweet treat cold. He celebrated his 106th birthday this week – having been born on July 1, 1919. Mr Lemon, a corporal in WWII, said: “The secret to a long life is custard. Rhubarb from the garden and custard.
“I eat it every day. I prefer it cold. It’s nice in a trifle. You can’t beat it. I usually have the powder but I’ve got a ready made Ambrosia in the pantry for emergencies. You should always have a pudding.”
Mr Lemon has now been retired for longer than he worked – having worked as an ‘office boy’ for Inland Revenue, now HM Revenue & Customs until he was 60 in 1979. He served as a corporal, from 1939 to 1946, throughout WWII and received the Légion d’honneur medal from the French government five years ago. The great-great-grandfather-of-two said, despite turning 106: “I don’t feel older at all.
“I’ve got no aches and pains. I don’t take any tablets or medications. I never see a doctor.”
Mr Lemon, who has eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, said his second favourite food was fish and chips. He added: “You can put custard with apples, gooseberries, any fruit from the garden.”
For his 100th birthday, he was given his own Bird’s custard jug. He has received three cards from royalty which sit on his mantle – a letter from Queen Elizabeth II on his 100th birthday and two from King Charles and Camilla for his 105th and 106th birthdays.
As for his advice for growing older, Mr Lemon, originally from Ealing, London, said: “Everything in moderation. I’m so lucky and I’m quite happy. The thing that has changed the most is video calls. I can’t work it myself. I’m a bit old fashioned.”
Mr Lemon married his wife Doreen in 1944 and remained together until her death in 1999. They had three children – Michael, Mary and Richard – but Mary sadly died from hepatitis caused by polluted seawater when she was ten. Youngest son Richard, 73, said: “When we were growing up, we always had fresh fruit and veg – no one froze things in the 50s.
“Dad is a believer in that you should always have pudding and he’s had custard as long as I can remember.”
Mr Lemon has also been honoured with a year’s supply of free custard from Asda. An Asda spokesperson said: “We’ll all be taking a leaf out of Mr Lemon’s book and enjoying more custard going forward, we hope he enjoys a free year’s supply on us.
“When life gives you lemons add custard!”
Mr Lemon’s family said: “He’s absolutely delighted. He’ll probably put it all under his bed.”