101-year-old WWII veteran honoured at Guildhall

Sidney Machin, aged 101 and living in Dorset, was presented with the Freedom of the City during a ceremony at Guildhall, joined by his son Trevor, a retired police officer, who received the honour alongside him. The Sidney Machin Freedom of the City award marked not just his wartime service but also his four decades working in London after the conflict.

Born in East Tottenham in 1924, Sidney served with the Chindits, the British and Indian special forces unit renowned for long-range operations deep behind enemy lines in Burma, now Myanmar. Known for their endurance and unconventional tactics, the Chindits were instrumental in disrupting Japanese supply routes in harsh jungle conditions. The Imperial War Museum provides a detailed history of the Chindits and their unique operations.

Initially a Signaller at Chindit HQ, Sidney rejoined the 1st King’s (Liverpool) Regiment and flew into the remote ‘Broadway’ landing strip by glider in March 1944 as part of Operation Thursday. His platoon operated in the Broadway area before marching to reinforce another brigade at the stronghold codenamed ‘Blackpool’. During that time, a bamboo splinter pierced his foot, leading to a serious infection that left him unable to walk. He was carried on an officer’s horse for several days before receiving hospital treatment in Meerut, India.

After recovering, Sidney returned to the UK, trained at the Officers Training Unit in Sussex, and later left the army with a record of service that spanned some of the most demanding campaigns of the war.

Following demobilisation, Sidney worked in London for over 40 years, first as a telephone engineer and later in management, before retiring to Dorset in 1988. Speaking after the ceremony, he said the honour was particularly meaningful given his long post-war career in the capital.

“Having spent over 40 years working in the City after the war, receiving this recognition holds a particularly special meaning for me.”

The Freedom of the City is believed to date back to 1237. While it originally allowed citizens to trade within the City walls, it is now awarded to mark exceptional achievements or contributions to public life. Past recipients have included Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy, Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, and actor Sir Lenny Henry.

The award to Sidney is a reminder of the small but significant number of surviving veterans whose experiences helped shape the course of the Second World War, and whose contributions continue to be recognised decades later. In recent years, London has also celebrated other remarkable centenarians, such as WWII codebreaker Margaret Baring and veterans honoured during the 75th anniversary of VE Day in the capital.

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