Posted on 07/18/2009 1:13:38 AM PDT by sinsofsolarempirefan
Oldest WWI veteran dies aged 113
Henry Allingham was the last surviving founding member of the RAF
Henry Allingham, the world's oldest man and one of the last surviving World War I servicemen, has died at the age of 113, his care home has said.
Mr Allingham served with the Royal Naval Air Service in WWI, later transferring to the Royal Air Force at the time of its creation.
Bosses at his Brighton care home said everybody was "saddened by Henry's loss and our sympathy goes to his family".
Last month, Mr Allingham, born in 1896, became the world's oldest man.
His funeral will take place later this month at St Nicholas' Church in Brighton.
Mr Allingham, whose life has spanned three centuries and six monarchs, has five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild.
Henry Allingham's 113th birthday celebrations in June
He joined the Royal Navy Air Service in September 1915 and served in Ypres before transferring to the RAF in April 1918.
In November last year, he took part in ceremonies to mark the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI.
Speaking before events began, Mr Allingham said he couldn't forget the war even if he wanted to.
"I saw too many things I would like to forget but I never will forget them, I never can forget them," he said.
Last month, the Royal Navy hosted a birthday party on HMS President in London for his family, close friends and members of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
I remember watching the video that someone had posted to this site of him talking a little on WW1. Different times, then. Judging from the amount of people, I think he will have many, many people at his funeral to see him off.
Wow, 113! RIP, he deserves it.
RIP
How about a pix of a British flag? ;-)
Yes, say hello to my grampa too! He was 98 when he died but he was born in 1890.
As he was in the Royal Air Force, the RAF Ensign:
I for got to add, thank you Mr. Allingham, for your service to King and Country. RIP...
For perspective, he would have been old enough to remember Queen Victoria’s funeral.
RIP
indeed we are indebted to those past generations and they have been a great inspiration for me in my life
indeed
this man should be on the news not some freak who liked to sleep with little boys
The media call Kennedy leaving a woman to die a tragedy for the family and yet we have a great man here and nothing
He loved it.....he had a real zeal for war and adventure at an early age and even though he experienced really tough things he never lost his perspective about
lol...but he did like his whiskey
ran off to join Pershing in NM with his horse skills after shooting a law man over a girl at the train tracks in Mize Miss in 1916...he was 17, died in 1982
One more note, when he was born:
Grover Cleveland was President of the US.
Utah had only been a state for six months.
The Indian Territory, Oklahoma Territory, New Mexico Territory, Arizona Territory, and the District of Alaska were not states.
The Republic of Hawaii was still an independent country.
Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, China, Ethiopia, and Persia (Iran) were still Empires.
The US flag only had 44 stars as the 45th star for Utah would not get added for another month.
1. God save our gracious Queen Long live our noble Queen God save the Queen Send her victorious Happy and glorious Long to reign over us God save the Queen
2. O Lord our God arise Scatter her enemies And make them fall Confound their politics Frustrate their knavish tricks On Thee our hopes we fix God save us all
3. Thy choicest gifts in store On her be pleased to pour Long may she reign May she defend our laws And ever give us cause To sing with heart and voice God save the Queen
4. Not in this land alone But be God's mercies known From shore to shore Lord make the nations see That men should brothers be And form one family The wide world over
5. From every latent foe From the assassins blow God save the Queen O'er her thine arm extend For Britain's sake defend Our mother, prince, and friend God save the Queen
6. Lord grant that Marshal Wade May by thy mighty aid Victory bring May he sedition hush And like a torrent rush Rebellious Scots to crush God save the King
Excellent. Love how you kept the verse about ‘crushing rebellious scots’. Most modern versions omit that bit, ‘cos it isn’t ‘pee cee’.... :lol:
RIP soldier. A warrior from a different time, a different world. The last of his breed.
In about 5 years, that last of those born in the 19th century will be gone.
“Excellent. Love how you kept the verse about crushing rebellious scots. Most modern versions omit that bit, cos it isnt pee cee.... :lol:”
I got it from a UK newspaper and some of the comments were “that’s anti-Scot!”.
Of course, our own national anthem is anti-Brit, in the third verse, I believe.
He should get a State Funeral.
It was mooted a few years ago that the last one to go should get a state funeral, but apparently none of them were happy with the idea, because they felt that those that had gone before them, especially those that had been killed, had sacrificed just as much if not more than they had and it didn’t seem right that they should be so honoured when those they had known were buried in relative obscurity...
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