A long-time vehicle enthusiast and fitter and turner who keenly joined the war effort jokes he's "not celebrating but tolerating" his 100th birthday. Warrnambool resident Neil Campbell showed the years hadn't diminished his witty humour as he discussed his milestone achievement on Friday, December 1, 2023. He said the greatest challenge at his age was an infamous city feature. "I don't like Warrnambool because of all the roundabouts," he said. "They kill me." He explained he had long ridden motorbikes and collected vintage cars but constant braking and turns at city intersection made him give up his hobby when he moved to the coastal town several years ago. "When my wife died, I took over her little 1916-year car," he said. "It was all automatic but the roundabouts got to me. I gave it up and the car just sat in the garage, I've given it to my daughter-in-law - the eldest grandson is of age to get his driving licence soon." He said one car in particular left a lasting impression on him. "I rode motorbikes, I shattered my shin bone and spent two years at the hospital," he said. "A taxi was stopped alongside the road, I was passing and he turned out and hit the motorbike. I still kept riding afterwards, but I did eventually buy my first car after that - an Austin 7 Tourer, 1928 model. "It was great." Mr Campbell said his love of tinkering with engines saw him thrive in the military which he joined at about age 20. "I grew up in England but my father came from Edinburgh in Scotland," he said. "I was working down south as from 14 years old I started as an apprentice fitter and turner at an engineering dump. "I spread the story that we were moving to Scotland and got released from being an apprentice and joined the shipyard in Dumbarton and carried on then. "When you changed from a job at that time, you risked getting called up (for military service). The shipyard offered me to get into a reserved occupation, because I was working an essential job building ships. "I got called up and they offered to stop it but I wanted to get into the navy anyway so I decided to go. At the time they were greatly expanding the number of aircraft carriers and I had some knowledge of motors and engines having cars and motorbikes and things like that. "I got into the Royal Naval Fleet air arm as an air engine fitter. I sent a photo to my mother because I was single then, of course." He said he'd never forget returning home. "As I was walking down one of the gangplanks walking off the ship, walking up a gangplank alongside going on board were the chaps from the same engineering shop in the shipyard I was working in," Mr Campbell said. "There was me going home because I'd done my time in the navy and there was a group going onboard to start their service."