Mr Grant, who is honorary president of the Royal Naval Association in Stowmarket, said: “I’m absolutely amazed as I never expected any of it. The singing was fantastic, the children were very good and I’m fine.”
His eldest daughter, Heather Freer, said: “This has come as a complete surprise to him and he thought he was going to a normal tea and biscuit morning.
“He’s a D-Day veteran and he was a Royal Marine on a landing craft operating the big guns to protect the troops landing. The whole family are very proud of him.”
Robert Bellfield, the Royal Navy’s regional commander for London and the East of England, said: “He was a gunner on a landing craft and they really didn’t know what to expect, how much resistance they were going to get or even what the water depth was. .
“I take my hat off to him and to everyone who served with him during that period.”
Michelle Frost, the organizer of the event, said: “He fought for our freedom and he is truly a wonderful and wonderful man.
“He told his grandson he didn’t think he’d get many cards to celebrate his 100th birthday so we put out a request on social media and we’ve now received more than 1,000 cards from people in the community, from New Zealand , France, Scotland and all over the world and more coming in.”
Grant, whose birthday is December 20, added that he has no secrets to living a long life, but said he “just takes things as they come”.