ACSA National Media Relations and Communications Manager, Margot Date, celebrated her grandfather’s 109th birthday two days ago. He is now the fourth oldest man in the world and the 12th oldest overall.

Alfred Date was born at 9:25 AM on 15 July 1905. He remembers the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and the declaration of World War I in 1914.

He has just started using a walking frame. Asked what his favourite memory is from his long life, he said “Today, yep, today”.

Margot is a veteran journalist, predominantly with the Sydney Morning Herald and Fairfax. She has been Media and Policy Advisor to four parliamentarians, including Barnaby Joyce, before joining ACSA in Canberra.