This was also seven days after the death of fellow veteran henry allingham, who was. Harry patch was the last british soldier alive to have fought in world war i and, for a time, was the oldest man in europe. Of all the parts of the world that move on without you, of all the borders beyond the horizon, of all the varying speeds and trajectories and characters and stories colluding together in giant waves of now, yettocome, once was, and then it boils down to two. Nine decades ago, in 1917, harry patch, who has died aged 111, could have instantly joined the half a million german and commonwealth soldiers. Harry died at 9 am on 25 july 2009, aged 111 years, one month, one week and one day. Three of them were blown to pieces while patch was wounded in the groin by a piece of shrapnel.
These veterans from wwi are gone and the ones from wwii are about gone. He became the oldest man in britain a week ago after the death of previous oldest wwi veteran henry allingham, 1. Harry patch, who has died aged 111, was the last soldier to have fought in the. The last veteran who served in the trenches was harry patch who died. The life of harry patch, the oldest surviving veteran of the trenches 1st edition bk thus by patch, harry, van emden, richard isbn. Last survivors of first world war salute the fallen vom 12. The stirring words of britains last fighting tommy war isnt worth one life, harry patch the man nicknamed the last fighting tommy said before his death on july 25, 2009. From his vivid memories of an edwardian childhood, the horror of the great war and fighting in the mud during the battle of passchendaele, working on the home front in the second world war, and fame in later life as a veteran, the last fighting tommy is the story of an. Til that at the time of his death, harry patch the last surviving ww1 combat soldier was 111 years, 1 month, 1 week and 1 day old en. Harry patch in memory of is a song by the english alternative rock band radiohead. Harry patch, one of last remaining veterans of world war one. The last veteran who served in the trenches was harry patch british army who died on 25. The following is a list of known veterans of the first world war 28 july 1914 11 november 1918 who died in 2009 5 veterans, 2010 1 veteran, 2011 2 veterans and 2012 1 veteran. Harry patch, britains last surviving soldier of the great.
The passing of our last surviving wwi soldier marks the end of an era and is a reminder of the huge debt of gratitude we owe harry and those he served alongside. William stone, 107, harry patch, 109, and henry allingham he ended the war back in germany and became a lawyer. The song is a tribute to the british supercentenarian harry patch, the last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches during world war i. Britains last surviving veteran of the world war 1 trenches, harry patch, has died at the age of 111. Served as an officers mess steward in the royal air force. The life of harry patch, the only surviving veteran of the trenches at.
But despite his wealth of experience, harry said hes determined to look forwards and not backwards. Wraf member florence green, who died on 4 february 2012, was the last surviving veteran of any nation. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Harry patch, the last survivor of world war i to fight in the trenches, has died aged 111 follow us on twitter at. On this day in 2009 great war veteran harry patch died aged an incredible 111 years. Charlotte33 with a handshake we said more about peace than anything else ever could jonathan101862. Henry john harry patch 17 june 1898 25 july 2009 known as the last fighting tommy was a british supercentenarian, briefly the oldest man in europe, and the last surviving soldier to. Patch and a dwindling group of other world war i veterans became. Harry patch died in july 2009 aged 111 the last surviving wwi veteran.
Last surviving veteran of the first world war who remained haunted by its. Who was the last surviving general from world war i answers. Germans could be invited to first world war memorial service. Observing the twominute silence at the cenotaph were surviving veterans henry allingham, 112, harry patch, 110, and bill stone, 108, left to right enlarge. Patch was born near bath, and became an apprentice plumber until world war 1 broke out. Harry patchs war came to an end on 22 september, 1917 when a german shell burst over the heads of his five man lewis gun team.
Never spoke about the war until he turned a 100 years old. Patch was also the last surviving tommy, since the. There were approximately 9,750,103 military deaths during the conflict. The funeral of harry patch has taken place at wells cathedral in somerset, remembering the life of the last british veteran of the first world war follow u.
Harry patch, britains oldest man and last survivor of first world war. Last entente veteran and last veteran of world war i. The veterans death follows that of henry allingham, also a veteran of the. Harry patch, the last of britains army veterans of world. It is the gift of former private and lewis gunner harry patch, no. Til that at the time of his death, harry patch the last.
I went back to ypres to shake the hand of charles kuentz, germanys only surviving veteran from the war. London harry patch, the last british survivor of the fighting in the. Harry patch used to say that hearing the said ode brought back memories of his fallen comrades. Albert henry woolson february 11, 1850 august 2, 1956 was the last known surviving member of the union army who served in the american civil war. Harry patch is now a national icon, the last surviving british combat soldier of the first world war until he died aged 111 years, 1 month, 1 week and 1 day.
Often referred to as the last fighting tommy, harry patch had served in flanders with the duke of cornwalls light infantry during the third battle of ypres in 1917. First world war hero harry patch tells story he couldnt. On 27 june 2006, the british government approved a national memorial service at westminster abbey, to. There are two veterans of the first world war left in the world. Britains last surviving veteran of the world war one trenches, harry patch, has died at the age of 111, the ministry of defence said on saturday. List of last surviving world war i veterans by country. The last fighting tommy tells the story of harry patch, the longest surviving veteran of the trenches. At least three men who followed him in death claimed to be confederate veterans, but one has been debunked and the other two are unverified. He served in the british royal navy and later the royal australian navy and died 5 may 2011, aged 110. Harry patch was the last living british tommy that had fought in the trenches of the first world war.
Mr choules was informed by his 80yearold daughter anne pow over the weekend that the death of 111yearold harry patch, britains last soldier who fought in the great wars infamous trenches, had made him the countrys sole survivor. Harry patch, the last of britains army veterans of world war i, is. Harry patch memorial unveiled for britains last wwi. The life of harry patch, the oldest surviving veteran of the trenches.
Harry patch the last surviving british soldier from world war i died saturday at the age of 111, britains ministry of defence said. He was in hospital for 12 months and was convalescing on the isle of wight when the armistice was signed. Harry patch, who has died aged 111, was the last soldier to have fought in the trenches of the great war. Patch, described by his biographer as having a good sense of humour and a twinkle in his eye. The last combatant was claude choules, who was in the royal navy and died in may 2011. Harry patch was the last surviving veteran of the trenches of wwi. List of last surviving world war i veterans military. Patch was also the last surviving tommy, since the death. The last living veteran of world war i was florence green.
The death notice says he was a retired judge and had earned the lower saxony cross of merit for distinguished public service. Britains last fighting survivor of the great war, harry patch. She was a british woman who served in the allied armed forces, and who died on 4 february 2012, aged 110. It was only when he turned 100 that the veteran of ypres began to speak. Harry patch was an ordinary soldier of the great war, one of the many who was conscripted to join the fighting, was sent to the western front trenches.
Harry patch, born june 17, 1898, was the last british soldier alive to have fought in the trenches of the first world war. Wwi was boring, says britains last surviving veteran. At 111, harry patch was the oldest person in britain and the last surviving tommy. List of last surviving veterans of military insurgencies. Harry patch train, named in honor of britains last. Harry patch, last british survivor of first world war. Harry patch first world war veteran obituary world. The livery of the harry patch train is incorporated with words from the ode to remembrance, an ode part of lord laurence binyons for the fallen. The last veteran who served in combat was claude choules. Patch was unquestionably one of the last surviving veterans from a war in which. This is a list of the last surviving world war i veterans by country. He was the last surviving british soldier to have served in the trenches of the western front when he died and his face and voice have. Florence green nee patterson, who joined the womens raf at age 17 in 1918, was the last surviving armed forces member.