Ken Pusey, who dodged death in 1944 while serving with the Royal Engineers, toasted the milestone with a pint of the black stuff - more than 80 years after it saved his life14:23, 10 Aug 2026A World War Two soldier who said a pint of Guinness saved his life from a Nazi rocket attack in Belgium when he was just a teenager has celebrated his 100th birthday.‌Ken Pusey, who dodged death in 1944 while serving with the Royal Engineers, toasted the milestone with a pint of the black stuff. The veteran received a card from the King and Queen, and a special box of goodies from Guinness.‌The life-long Wycombe Wanderers fan also received a personalised first team shirt with his name and "100" written on it from staff, which was signed by the squad. Ken was just 18 when he planned to spend the day at a cinema in Belgium on December 16 1944 - the first day of the “Battle of the Bulge”.‌But at the very last minute he changed his mind and headed to a new club after hearing it was serving draught Guinness. While Ken was enjoying his drink, the nearby Cinema Rex in Antwerp took a direct hit from a Nazi V2 rocket.Ken said: "I’m now 100 and I can’t help but look back on the moments that shaped my life, and that day in Antwerp which has lived with me forever. I have often thought about how differently my life could have turned out.‌"It was a lucky escape that gave me the chance to come home, build a life, have a beautiful family and experience so many wonderful things over the years. I have never taken that gift for granted. I know life can change in an instant and that you must appreciate every day.”More than 1,000 people were inside the cinema in 1944, with 567 killed including 296 Allied service personnel. Ken said: “The chaps had no chance, they were annihilated. We just thanked our blessings, because but for the toss of a coin and a pint of Guinness, we’d have been dead.”‌Ken held a special party arranged by staff at Royal Star & Garter home in High Wycombe, Bucks., where he has lived since 2022. The great-grandfather was born in High Wycombe in 1926.He was 13 when war was declared and left school at 14 to work at a firm which produced instruments for the Armed Forces. He joined the Army in 1944 and served in Belgium and Germany, before demobbing in 1947.Ken went on to work on the floors of several factories. He had a son and daughter with his wife Pam, and the couple also fostered many children. Among those present at Ken’s party was his sister Doreen, who is also a resident at the home.Article continues belowKen said: “Reaching 100 is very special, and the staff made it a day I will never forget." Speaking in 2024 about the blast, he said: “A lot of us were given a day pass, and we were taken by lorry up to the main town centre."It was suggested we go to the cinema, or a new NAAFI called The 21 Club, which was selling draught Guinness by the pint, which was unheard of, for thruppence. We didn’t know what to do so we tossed a coin. It came down tails and we went to the club."After an hour or so we heard an enormous explosion. We thought ‘what the hell is that?’ But it was just another incident. There was a war going on and people were getting killed all over the place. We didn’t find out until a lot later that a rocket had been fired from Holland and it had hit the cinema directly."