WWI Vet and worlds oldest man, Henry Allingham, dies at 113.

[Marv]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...1D0D97666F03E5

First World War veteran Henry Allingham, who became the world's oldest man last month, has died at the age of 113.

As tributes poured in, Lord's cricket ground fell silent at the start of play in the Ashes match between England and Australia as a mark of respect for Mr Allingham, who died in his sleep early yesterday morning.

He was one of the last three surviving British veterans of the First World War, the last surviving founder member of the RAF, the last man to have witnessed the Battle of Jutland and the last surviving member of the Royal Naval Air Service.
[...]

In the foreword to Mr Allingham's autobiography, Kitchener's Last Volunteer, Prince Charles wrote in 2008: 'He has witnessed so much of our history - including the sinking of the Titanic, the Great War, the Depression, the Second World War and the building of the Welfare State - taking in six of my forebears, as well as 21 Prime Ministers.

'We should all be humbled by this quiet, genial man and his desire to extol peace and friendship to the world, despite all the horrors he witnessed at such a young and impressionable age.'
[...]

Mr Allingham once jokingly attributed his longevity to 'cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women'.

But he later admitted that he had taken care of himself, adding: 'The trick is to look after yourself and always know your limitations.'

Mr Allingham's death means that Harry Patch, 111, the last survivor of the First World War trenches, is now Britain's oldest man.

Nicknamed 'the last Tommy', Mr Patch is a veteran of the 1917 battle of Passchendaele in which more than 70,000 British troops were killed.

Emotional moment: A tear is wiped away from Mr Allingham's eye at a service to mark the 90th anniversary of the Great War Armistice


Changing times: Henry Allingham as a baby in 1896


RIP Henry. x





We never know what is in store for our babies, what our kids future will hold, what they will see and achieve in their lifetime.

[zapp]

my hat goes off to him - one of my great great grandfathers was one of the last two civil war vets alive on record

[MadmamainNC]

Thanks for sharing this OMyou.

And this is beautiful

We never know what is in store for our babies, what our kids future will hold, what they will see and achieve in their lifetime.