WW1 Last Veteran
There are no longer veterans of WW1 alive. It is incredible how long it have lasted that there were living veterans. Until 2009 July, 25, Harry Patch has been the last with 111 year of age at time of his death (so he was born in 1898 June 17).
Belgium
Mitchigan, 2004 September 08 : The last Belgium veteran of WW1, the West-Vlaming Cyriel Barbary, died aged 105. Born in 1899, he moved to the USA in 1923.
Britain
Harry Patch, the last living British WW1 veteran, was honoured with a service at Wells Cathedral, in Somerset, following his death at a care home on 2009, July 25. Following the death of Henry Allingham at 113 years old on 2009, July 18, Harry Patch was briefly the oldest man in Europe, aged 111 years at the time of his death.
WWI's last surviving veteran celebrates 109th birthday
Edinburgh, 2007 June 18 : The last surviving veteran to fight in the trenches of France and Belgium during the First World War celebrated his 109th birthday yesterday. Harry Patch served with the Duke of Cornwall's light infantry and fought at the bloody battle of Passchendaele, (now called Passendale), near the town of Ypres (now called Ieper) in West Flanders, Belgium, when he was still just a teenage conscript.
Patch marked the day with a party at his nursing home in Wells, Somerset, England.
'I feel about 50 years old. It's a lot of fuss about nothing,' The Scotsman quoted him as saying.
According to the paper, Patch was called up for combat duty in 1917 and just a few weeks later, thrown into one of the bloodiest and most brutal battles of the Great War - at Passchendaele, in Belgium - which claimed 70,000 lives.
USA
North Baltimore, 2007 Dec 21 : One of the last US soldier of WW1, Russel Coffey died aged 109 year old. He never saw the battlefield because the cease fire in November 1918 was too soon. There are now 2 living Great War soldiers left.
Poland
Warschau, 2008 Jan 18 : The last Polish of WW1 died at the age of 105 years. His family have announced his death.
France
France, 2008 Jan 21 : Louis de Casanave, the second last survivor of the 1st WW died at an age of 110. In 1916 he has been fighting at the Somme aged 19 years old. This makes Lazare Ponticelli, also 110, the last living France fighter of the Great War.
See also
- Harry Patch on wikipedia, The last fighting Tommy.
- New Kerala
