RAF veteran Jack Bissett opened his telegram from the Queen surrounded by friends at the Palm Springs Nursing Home on Wednesday.
Mr Bissett, who was born in Exeter and worked as an engineer in the RAF for several years before moving to Jersey with his wife Kay, spent the majority of his career working for life insurance company Prudential.
One of the most memorable events of his life, however, was parachuting into Holland during the Second World War – without any previous training.
