“Live a clean life and always have clean water with your whisky,” is the advice Herbert Vivian Glass likes to give people when they ask him.
Glass will turn the grand old age of 100 years on 1 February but despite his age, he says that he has lead a good life and that the only thing that has defeated him is his old age.
“Live a clean life and always have clean water with your whisky,” is the advice Herbert Vivian Glass likes to give people when they ask him.
Glass will turn the grand old age of 100 years on 1 February but despite his age, he says that he has lead a good life and that the only thing that has defeated him is his old age.
His great sense of fun, his courtesy and his spirit still shine through agelessly. Born in the village of Alice,
Glass was exposed to many trades as his father was well established in the community as a dairy farmer, general dealer, butcher and livery stable owner.
After the death of his father, when he was only eight years old, Glass attended Alice Public School
and went to Selborne College where he “had twelve years of good rugby.”
His rugby talent grew and saw him becoming the captain of a team of South African troops against an Australian team in Madagascar.
He soon became a member of Danie Craven’s first Physical team (1940) and captained the First
City Regiment during the war.
His memories of these times are clear on his escapades he recalls the cold weather where 1 000 men remained confined to barracks and passed time by playing poker.
Glass enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow soldiers and remembers stopping in Haifa in Israel where they embarked to Malta where sixty ships were anchored in the harbour.
Troops were used to load the ships with weapons and supplies for the assault on Italy which was to follow. Soon afterwards, he “lost his regiment” and reached Italy on board a Polish troop carrier.In 1947 Glass met Josephine Rowlands from London and the couple remained happily married for nearly fifty
years.
He is proud father of a son, Robert, who resides in Australia, and is visiting the family for the birthday celebrations, as well as a daughter, Penny.
In 2007 Viv moved from Settlers Close to Brookshaw Home where he will be feted on the first of the month.
His niece, Colleen Poultney, and her family whose loving care he enjoys, will celebrate his birthday at their farm.
With high spirits, and great successes Viv has reached yet another great milestone in his life.
