Henry Allingham

Britain's oldest (ever) man, Henry Allingham has died aged 113.

Allingham was one of the last survivors of the First World War, where he served in the Royal Naval Air Service, one of there precursors of the RAF. As such, he was present at the Battle of Jutland, saw service on the Western Front (though he was briefly in the trenches, he never had to go 'over the top') and was a founder member of the RAF.

BBC Obituary


Henry Allingham in 1916

Allingham overtook George Frederick Ives as the longest lived member of the British Armed Forces on 1 November 2007. He was therefore the longest lived British World War I veteran to date and there are only two other British veterans still alive who could challenge this record—Claude Choules and Harry Patch.

Following the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009, Allingham became the oldest living man. At his death, he was the oldest living veteran of World War I, but not the longest lived member of any armed force in any conflict; this record is held by Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico, who also served in World War I.

Allingham was the oldest living man in England for several years. Official recognition by Guinness World Records came in January 2007. On 13 February 2007, he became the UK's second-oldest living person behind Florrie Baldwin. Since the death of French supercentenarian Maurice Floquet on 10 November 2006, Allingham was the oldest validated living man in Europe. On 8 February 2007, with the death of 110-year-old Antonio Pierro, he became the oldest known living veteran of World War I as well as the third-oldest living man in the world. The death of Japanese man Sukesaburo Nakanishi on 22 August 2007, meant that Allingham shared the position of second-oldest man in the world with George Francis, an American man also born on 6 June 1896, for more than a year until Francis' death on 27 December 2008. On 29 March 2009, Allingham became the oldest British man of all time. Following the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009, he became the oldest living man in the world; after Allingham's death, that title passed to Walter Breuning of Montana.

Henry Allingham 1896-2009

Henry Allingham

Britain's oldest (ever) man, Henry Allingham has died aged 113.

Allingham was one of the last survivors of the First World War, where he served in the Royal Naval Air Service, one of there precursors of the RAF. As such, he was present at the Battle of Jutland, saw service on the Western Front (though he was briefly in the trenches, he never had to go 'over the top') and was a founder member of the RAF.

BBC Obituary


Henry Allingham in 1916

Allingham overtook George Frederick Ives as the longest lived member of the British Armed Forces on 1 November 2007. He was therefore the longest lived British World War I veteran to date and there are only two other British veterans still alive who could challenge this record—Claude Choules and Harry Patch.

Following the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009, Allingham became the oldest living man. At his death, he was the oldest living veteran of World War I, but not the longest lived member of any armed force in any conflict; this record is held by Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico, who also served in World War I.

Allingham was the oldest living man in England for several years. Official recognition by Guinness World Records came in January 2007. On 13 February 2007, he became the UK's second-oldest living person behind Florrie Baldwin. Since the death of French supercentenarian Maurice Floquet on 10 November 2006, Allingham was the oldest validated living man in Europe. On 8 February 2007, with the death of 110-year-old Antonio Pierro, he became the oldest known living veteran of World War I as well as the third-oldest living man in the world. The death of Japanese man Sukesaburo Nakanishi on 22 August 2007, meant that Allingham shared the position of second-oldest man in the world with George Francis, an American man also born on 6 June 1896, for more than a year until Francis' death on 27 December 2008. On 29 March 2009, Allingham became the oldest British man of all time. Following the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009, he became the oldest living man in the world; after Allingham's death, that title passed to Walter Breuning of Montana.

Henry Allingham 1896-2009

Thinning out

I have just been idly sorting through recent posts on this journal, looking for one in particular that chronicled something I was trying to recall. Once I'd done that I carried on wandering back in time, but only as far as March. It hadn't occurred to me before, but a lot of people have died recently, haven't they? And those I've posted up are only the reports of people who interested me in one way or another.

I'm sure the Reaper has been busier than usual since Christmas; I don't have to go back too far at any point in the past four months to find an obituary that I've linked to.

Blimey.

Thinning out

I have just been idly sorting through recent posts on this journal, looking for one in particular that chronicled something I was trying to recall. Once I'd done that I carried on wandering back in time, but only as far as March. It hadn't occurred to me before, but a lot of people have died recently, haven't they? And those I've posted up are only the reports of people who interested me in one way or another.

I'm sure the Reaper has been busier than usual since Christmas; I don't have to go back too far at any point in the past four months to find an obituary that I've linked to.

Blimey.