At the start of the year there were 53 known veterans alive across the world. Just seven months later, if the Wikipedia listing is to be accepted, there are just 22 veterans alive. There are from the UK(6), France(2), Germany(2), US(3), Italy(6), Germany, Canada, Poland and Australia(One each).
Of the Britons, Harry Patch is the last to have fought in the trenches. At 111 Henry Allingham is the oldest living veteran.
In a few years all will have passed into memory.
10 comments:
I remember, in my youth, seeing the last surviving veteran of the American Civil War paraded through the streets of downtown Houston; he was over 100 at the time. And here I am, knocking on 59. Time flies like an arrow. (The obligatory response: "Fruit flies like a banana.")
Time flies, it is speeding up for me and that's no lie! You must have been very young at the time Steve? Didn't the last one die in teh mid 50s?
There was a Civil War widow alive until just recently, or she might still be alive. She was a teenage bride to an old, old, 'fartin dust old,' veteran of the war and they had a son together. I remember the story as repusive and fascinating all at once.
Ah that's quite sad. Will we remember them, their names or their bravery in years to come?
Wow ewbl, now shoe would be very old herself if still alive. Still there is a bit of the yuk factor - like Anna Nicole Smith and whatshisname...
That's true shaz, it won;t be long before they pass into memory but who will remember them? I'm not sure that they won't just become forgotten names on memorials
Exactly so, jams. If memory serves me (and it doesn't always do so these days), my father held me up above the crowd so I could see the veteran as he passed. According to this, the issue is unclear as to exactly who may have been in that parade; there seem to have been conflicting claims.
ewbl, the same article (©2000) speaks of the oldest widow, but does not give an exact age for her at that time.
Ah yes, over the last confederate veteran? The widow must have marreid quite an old boy at the time. It's odd to think that a widow would ahve lived on until just a couple of years ago. THanks for the link
Geez,
WWI ended almost 90 years ago! All those vets have to be at least 106 by now...
The youngest wil be around that age. The oldest is 111.
Concerning Mr.Henry Allingham (I met him in 2007): there has never been made a long interview with him: what a loss when he ,finally, has passed away....
I tried many times to convince broadcasters to make such an interview, till now: no success....
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