For someone who has lived life in the fast lane, piloting everything from Lancaster bombers in World War II to SX 90 motorcycles, it's a sad realisation.

"Yeah I love driving and it has been such a big part of my life," Sydney told the Tribune.

"I was still driving on my 91st birthday but there's no bloody way I can drive anymore, the nerves went in my heels, I'll kill myself and someone else."

Sydney is currently residing at Thomas Eccles Gardens where he has been for almost three years since moving down from Manly to be closer to his daughter Sandra Johnson.

He still has a unit in Fairlight and has plenty of cherished memories from his days at the Northern Beaches, but we'll come back to that.

His story starts with the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1942. Because it was in the aftermath of the Japanese air-raid that 'Syd' first entered the war.

"We knew it was coming so we had been preparing for a few years leading up to it," he said.

By "preparing" Sydney was referring to learning to fly Lockheed fighters from scratch as a teenager. When he was called into action, Syd was 19 and deployed to New Guinea. He was a member of the No. 6 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force and was on anti-submarine patrol.

"Basically we were there to blow Japanese subs out of the water... We had four 250 pound bombs under each wing," he recalls vividly.

"Then when the Beaufort's came in we had naval torpedos instead."

A combination of his skills as a fighter pilot and good fortune resulted in his safe return but he was left with a permanent reminder.

He showed the Trib his freshly dressed and bandaged left forearm, which had been badly burnt when a fire broke out in his aircraft.

It turned out to be one of the best things that could've happened to the young soldier because on his return to Australia he met his wife and soul mate Dawn West.

"After five weeks in hospital they flew me back to Australia and sent me to Jervis Bay for 'R&R'. After I was well enough I went home to Manly, where I was senior oar in the surf boats.

"One day I was doing my eight laps at Manly Baths when I noticed this white swim cap bobbing along next to me. When I turned on my eighth lap I saw that she was still there so I decided to put the big ones in.

"It turned out she was the Australian 100 and 200 metre freestyle champion."

After the war, Syd took up a job in the Public Safety Bureau (Highway Patrol) mostly because of his love of bikes and stayed there for 34 years until he retired as an inspector. He trained youngsters to utilise their newly acquired driving skills on the busy streets of Sydney.

Recently he was paid a visit by the Deputy Commissioner of the NSW Police Force - Catherine Burn.

"It was a real pleasure she is a very lovely woman," he said.

The meeting was arranged by his physician Hannah Burn-Petersen, who has cared for Syd since his arrival in Yass, and the Deputy Commissioner was only too keen pay homage to his decades of service in law enforcement.

Now he longs for the ocean views he enjoyed at his Manly unit but says there are worse places to be.

"It's a great place Yass, my wife and I used to visit our daughter down here at her property and it's a beautiful place with wonderful people."

Although he is physically wearing and he’s had to be chauffeured in recent ANZAC Day marches his mind is as sharp as ever, talking to the Trib about the MH17 tragedy.

"Yeah I don't like that Putin, he's a real sly bugger," he said.