The Oldest Living WW1 Veteran
British Supercentenarian Henry Allingham is 111 years old
Mr Allingham is one of the last living veterans of the First World War, the oldest man in Europe, and one of the oldest living people on Earth.
Henry Allingham was born in June 1896, and served in the Royal Naval Air Service which he joined in 1915 at the age of nineteen. He served in the Royal Air Force from April 1918 to April 1919, and also fought in the famous Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the First World War of which Mr Allingham is the only remaining survivor.
Europe’s Oldest Man
As well as being the oldest World War One veteran and the oldest ever surviving member of the British Armed Forces, Mr Allingham is the oldest known man in his home country, and the oldest known man in Europe whose age can be validated by the researchers of the Gerontology Research Group who study the world’s oldest people. He became Europe’s oldest man in November 2006, following the death of 111 year old Frenchman and fellow war veteran, Maurice Floquet, and months later became the oldest living World War One veteran, after the passing of 110 year old Italian veteran Antonio Pierro in February 2007.
The Second Oldest Man in the World
In August 2007, Mr Allingham became the second oldest man in the world whose age has been verified, after the death of Japanese Sukesaburo Nakanishi. Since that time, American George Francis has been verified to have been born on the same day as Mr Allingham, so these two gentleman now share the title of second oldest man in the world. Only Japan’s Tomoji Tanabe is older, at 112 years of age.
Although Mr Allingham is one of the oldest men on Earth, he is not the oldest person in the United Kingdom. British woman Florrie Baldwin was born less than three months before him, and is already 112 years of age.
An Amazing life of Longevity
Mr Allingham was born in Clapham, London on June 6th 1896, and joined the Armed Forces in 1915 after the death of his mother. After his service, he married his sweetheart Dorothy Cater in 1919, and began a career with the Ford Motor Company that would see him rise to a senior position. He and his wife had two daughters, but they both moved to North America where Mr Allingham still has many family members today. He retired in 1960 and moved to Eastbourne. Sadly his wife Dorothy passed away in 1970, in her early seventies.
Mr Allingham remained active into great old age, living independently, but it was not until the World War One Veteran’s Association contacted him in 2001 when he was already 105 years old, that he came to prominence, participating in memorial events, and visiting schools to talk to children about the war, and recollect his own experiences.
Last Remaining Veterans
There are only twelve known veterans of World War One who are still living today. Mr Allingham is the oldest, and is one of three veterans alive in the United Kingdom, alongside 107 year old William Stone, and 109 year old Harry Patch who is the last living British soldier to have fought in the trenches. The last British veteran will receive a state funeral.
The Pride of Britain
Last year, at age 111, Mr Allingham received a “Pride of Britain” award for his dedication to educating children and adults alike about his experiences of the First World War. Before the ceremony he was asked to identify the secret of his great longevity. He replied “cigarettes, whisky, and wild, wild women”. As he approaches his 112th birthday in June, Mr Allingham remains an active, dedicated, and much loved figure.
References:
The Gerontology Research Group
