First World War Veteran Dies at 106

CBC News Online ^ | November 8, 2003 | Staff

[Loyalist]

Harold Radford in 1999

HALIFAX - The last known Nova Scotia-born man to serve during the First World War died Friday, leaving fewer than a dozen veterans from that conflict alive in Canada.

Harold Radford was 106. He had been in good health until days before his death.

Radford died at the Camp Hill Veterans' Memorial Building, where he lived for the last six years. He developed pneumonia last month after falling down.

He served with the Nova Scotia Regiment in Vladivostok, Russia from 1918-19.

Radford, a star baseball player in Halifax, was to be shipped off to the front in France until his papers were mysteriously misplaced during baseball season. Since he was around, he could help win some ball games, his commanding officer told him.

Nicknamed "Gamer," he was one of four brothers known as the "Radford Boys," well-known for their athletic accomplishments in hockey, baseball and rugby.

Radford continued ice skating until he was in his 80s, his grandson told a Halifax newspaper.

He is survived by three children, seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

[Loyalist]

Soon the First World War, and the Russian Civil War, will pass out of living human memory.

[Ditto]

I think back as a child of the dozens of WWI vets I knew. Neighbors, relatives, even one of my little league coaches. All gone, but not forgoten.

God keep Mr. Radford.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

My father was in WWI.
He passed away in 1962 at the age of 68.

Little known fact on WWI.

Walter M. Page, the ambassador to England during WWI,
was given the keys to the German Embassy after GB and
Germany went to war. This was before the USA entered
the war.
He spent one day a week helping Civilians transfer between
Germany and England.
These people were on vacation or business when war broke out.

[LibKill]

I'm surprised there were any left alive at all.

I can't remember the man's name right now, but there was this wonderful old veteran of WWI that featured prominently in several History Channel shows about WWI.

He gave great commentary as only one who was there could.

He was also in a show about Buffalo Bill. When he was a kid his father took him to the Wild West Show.

He passed in the 1990's.

[Gumption]

The changes this man has lived through is absolutely mind boggling.

[Riley]

My grandfather fought with the Canadian forces in that war. He passed along many of his memories of those days to me, when I was a young boy. I still miss him.

Just in passing, I was much surprised to find out that James Longstreet's widow was still alive when I was born (1961). Longstreet was a Corps commander for the Confederacy, and had a 'May/December' marriage long after the war.

[feedback doctor]

Only 6 Canadian WW1 Vets left.
Right now there are no Canadian vets of the War on Terrorism.

[Squawk 8888]

Right now there are no Canadian vets of the War on Terrorism.

That's because they're still on the front lines in Afghanistan- alternating between hunting for Taliban fighters and getting blown up by American cowboys.