World War I Veteran(s)

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

BREAKING: Harry Patch has died aged 111.

 

Just 3 WWI veterans left now.

[Garn2 34]

Harry Patch has died. Only three confirmed WWI veterans left.

 

Edit... But of course you just read that above

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

Harry Patch has died. Only three confirmed WWI veterans left.

Better luck next time Garn2

[Ageless Immortal Giant 2]

It's unclear...

 

Is Claude Choules counted as the last British veteran now, despite the fact that he lives in Australia? Was Harry Patch the last UK veteran?

[Phantom 2,533]

Sad that Harry died just a week after Henry, would be nice if they give them both a state funeral

[Body Snatcher 44 107]

It's unclear...

 

Is Claude Choules counted as the last British veteran now, despite the fact that he lives in Australia? Was Harry Patch the last UK veteran?

 

We could always say that he represents the last veteran of the British commonwealth.

[Guest Y]

Claude Choules fought for the British army so he is considered British

[Toast 16,137]

would be nice if they give them both a state funeral

Harry certainly made it clear that he wouldn't want one. Don't recall Henry saying anything, but I doubt he'd have wanted it either. These men didn't think of themselves as special.

 

Claude Choules fought for the British army so he is considered British

Plus the fact that he was born in Britain and lived in Britain for many years before emigrating. Why wouldn't he be considered British?

[Ageless Immortal Giant 2]

It's unclear...

 

Is Claude Choules counted as the last British veteran now, despite the fact that he lives in Australia? Was Harry Patch the last UK veteran?

 

We could always say that he represents the last veteran of the British commonwealth.

Not exactly, there's a Canadian veteran still alive.

 

I take the points that have been made though.

[totenkopf 2]

It's quite tragic. They just don't glorify war with its death and destruction like they used to.

[Guest Bob Loblah]

25Jul09

 

There's one fellow in Bremen who swears that he served with Hitler in WW1.

As a matter of fact, he still plays football today while having no legs.

 

Forever and Ever

Bob Loblah

[Handrejka 1,903]

It's unclear...

 

Is Claude Choules counted as the last British veteran now, despite the fact that he lives in Australia? Was Harry Patch the last UK veteran?

 

We could always say that he represents the last veteran of the British commonwealth.

Not exactly, there's a Canadian veteran still alive.

 

I take the points that have been made though.

 

 

Claude was a navy man, but I agree with your point.

[Body Snatcher 44 107]

would be nice if they give them both a state funeral

Harry certainly made it clear that he wouldn't want one. Don't recall Henry saying anything, but I doubt he'd have wanted it either. These men didn't think of themselves as special.

 

Claude Choules fought for the British army so he is considered British

Plus the fact that he was born in Britain and lived in Britain for many years before emigrating. Why wouldn't he be considered British?

 

"We've won the WWI Vets Survival Challenge. Claude's disqualified for batting for both sides. As it were."

If it wasn't so morbid it would be almost comical, TAFKAG posted this way back on the 3rd of June and this portion of the post (the bit in bold) went uncontested by the rest of the forumers. Now with the tragic passing of the two remaining British WWI service men, Claude all of a sudden becomes British. To claim that he is solely British denies his WWII exploits with the Australian Royal Navy, he fought for this country as well. As the title of this Article suggests Claude is "the last Briton standing" that much is true. However the article also mentions that he came to Australia in 1926 (he has lived here most of his 108 years) and loves the Australian way of life, should this not be grounds for stating that he is both Australian and British? It is a possibility.

 

This was my reasoning when I posted that he should be recognized as the last remaining Commonwealth veteran as the Canadian fellow currently lives in the U.S.

 

P.S. please don't make me do this too often.

[Windsor 2,233]

Personally, I don't think it matters.

 

Afterall, regardless of their nationality they are all still subjects of a British Queen.

[Toast 16,137]

"We've won the WWI Vets Survival Challenge. Claude's disqualified for batting for both sides. As it were."

If it wasn't so morbid it would be almost comical, TAFKAG posted this way back on the 3rd of June and this portion of the post (the bit in bold) went uncontested by the rest of the forumers. Now with the tragic passing of the two remaining British WWI service men, Claude all of a sudden becomes British. To claim that he is solely British denies his WWII exploits with the Australian Royal Navy, he fought for this country as well. As the title of this Article suggests Claude is "the last Briton standing" that much is true. However the article also mentions that he came to Australia in 1926 (he has lived here most of his 108 years) and loves the Australian way of life, should this not be grounds for stating that he is both Australian and British? It is a possibility.

Personally I've always regarded Claude as being a Brit, as well as acknowledging his allegiance to his adopted country. I took the post you quoted about being disqualified as jocular.

 

No, I'm just a bit dismayed at comments in Harry Patch discussions elsewhere, which disregard Claude altogether. You expect ignorance from the wider public, but it's also happening in places where people should know better. "The Great War has now passed from living memory" sort of thing, and lots of pious "We will remember them" posts from people who have already forgotten about poor ole Claude.

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

I read somewhere that Choules wasn't living in Australia as a naturalised citizen and that he still held British citizenship. Can't seem to verify this anywhere though.

 

The Times regard him as a Brit anyway...

Anyway, he's not looking too good. Doubt he'll live to see 2010....

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

I read somewhere that Choules wasn't living in Australia as a naturalised citizen and that he still held British citizenship. Can't seem to verify this anywhere though.

 

The Times regard him as a Brit anyway...

Anyway, he's not looking too good. Doubt he'll live to see 2010....

 

I have to agree, he seems, like Allingham, to have aged visibly in the last year or so.

 

Still VERY saddened about Patch's death- in fact, to lose Stone, Allingham & Patch in the same year, whilst somewhat inevitable, is such a shame.

[TAFKAG 70]

So am I right in thinking the podium positions are to be filled by Babcock, Choules and Buckles, with the latter a marginal favourite for gold?

 

I've just read the whole thread, fascinating stuff and quite an education.

[Windsor 2,233]

So am I right in thinking the podium positions are to be filled by Babcock, Choules and Buckles, with the latter a marginal favourite for gold?

 

I've just read the whole thread, fascinating stuff and quite an education.

 

Claude Choules is the only surviving veteran to have seen active service. Surely that qualifies him as the only real veteran of the war. I know that there are official guidelines and whatnot, but if they didn't do anything...should they be counted?

 

I think that Patch was the last veteran in the real sense of the word given that he actually fought in the trenches. Choules, for example, explained his war as boring.

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

So am I right in thinking the podium positions are to be filled by Babcock, Choules and Buckles, with the latter a marginal favourite for gold?

 

I've just read the whole thread, fascinating stuff and quite an education.

 

Claude Choules is the only surviving veteran to have seen active service. Surely that qualifies him as the only real veteran of the war. I know that there are official guidelines and whatnot, but if they didn't do anything...should they be counted?

 

I think that Patch was the last veteran in the real sense of the word given that he actually fought in the trenches. Choules, for example, explained his war as boring.

Coudn't agree more. It's good that the BBC and Sky are reporting him as the last veteran. Although Choules did put his life at risk, but not to the extent that Patch did.

 

John Babcock will be the last out of the three though. His health is amazing for his age whereas Buckles and Choules look like garden vegetables ready to boil in the soup.....

[Toast 16,137]

So am I right in thinking the podium positions are to be filled by Babcock, Choules and Buckles, with the latter a marginal favourite for gold?

 

I've just read the whole thread, fascinating stuff and quite an education.

 

Claude Choules is the only surviving veteran to have seen active service. Surely that qualifies him as the only real veteran of the war. I know that there are official guidelines and whatnot, but if they didn't do anything...should they be counted?

 

I think that Patch was the last veteran in the real sense of the word given that he actually fought in the trenches. Choules, for example, explained his war as boring.

Coudn't agree more. It's good that the BBC and Sky are reporting him as the last veteran. Although Choules did put his life at risk, but not to the extent that Patch did.

I don't know about that, the risks are less visible at sea but they could still be bombed or torpedoed without warning and go to a swift watery grave.

 

As for Claude saying his war was boring, there's bound to be a bit of modesty there, but

(Claude) had always said war was mostly very tedious punctuated by moments of extreme danger.

Actually that was true for soldiers in the trenches too. They weren't permanently in the front line, and in quieter sectors, much of the time nothing much happened anyway.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

John Babcock will be the last out of the three though.

 

And conveniently the last Canadian veteran. I predict a rash of Babcock CPDP nominations if he makes the start line.

[Windsor 2,233]

So am I right in thinking the podium positions are to be filled by Babcock, Choules and Buckles, with the latter a marginal favourite for gold?

 

I've just read the whole thread, fascinating stuff and quite an education.

 

Claude Choules is the only surviving veteran to have seen active service. Surely that qualifies him as the only real veteran of the war. I know that there are official guidelines and whatnot, but if they didn't do anything...should they be counted?

 

I think that Patch was the last veteran in the real sense of the word given that he actually fought in the trenches. Choules, for example, explained his war as boring.

Coudn't agree more. It's good that the BBC and Sky are reporting him as the last veteran. Although Choules did put his life at risk, but not to the extent that Patch did.

I don't know about that, the risks are less visible at sea but they could still be bombed or torpedoed without warning and go to a swift watery grave.

 

As for Claude saying his war was boring, there's bound to be a bit of modesty there, but

(Claude) had always said war was mostly very tedious punctuated by moments of extreme danger.

Actually that was true for soldiers in the trenches too. They weren't permanently in the front line, and in quieter sectors, much of the time nothing much happened anyway.

 

Was most of the German Fleet not contained at Port for the majority of the war due to a Naval blockade? I seem to recall that was the case but may be mistaken.

 

As for the dangers at sea, my great great grandfather was in in the Naval Reserve as a minesweeper. Unfortunately he and his crew weren't that good at their jobs and ploughed righ into a mine.

On the other hand, his son spent the full 4 years on the Western Front. From what I can tell from his war records, he spent most of it getting drunk and was therefore detained countless times in jail a good bit away from the front. The worst thing to happen to him was scabbies and influenza.

So perhaps I am wrong to say that naval warfare is less dangerous than the war in the trenches. Then again, perhaps my great great grandfather and his crew were also drunk.

[TAFKAG 70]

Here's a poem I wrote to mark the occasion of Henry's and Harry's funerals:

 

Last Post

 

In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,

He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.

 

If poetry could tell it backwards, true, begin

that moment shrapnel scythed you to the stinking mud…

but you get up, amazed, watch bled bad blood

run upwards from the slime into its wounds;

see lines and lines of British boys rewind

back to their trenches, kiss the photographs from home-

mothers, sweethearts, sisters, younger brothers

not entering the story now

to die and die and die.

Dulce- No- Decorum- No- Pro patria mori.

You walk away.

 

You walk away; drop your gun (fixed bayonet)

like all your mates do too-

Harry, Tommy, Wilfred, Edward, Bert-

and light a cigarette.

There's coffee in the square,

warm French bread

and all those thousands dead

are shaking dried mud from their hair

and queuing up for home. Freshly alive,

a lad plays Tipperary to the crowd, released

from History; the glistening, healthy horses fit for heroes, kings.

 

You lean against a wall,

your several million lives still possible

and crammed with love, work, children, talent, English beer, good food.

You see the poet tuck away his pocket-book and smile.

If poetry could truly tell it backwards,

then it would.

 

 

 

Oh all right, Carol Ann Duffy wrote it.

[TAFKAG 70]

So am I right in thinking the podium positions are to be filled by Babcock, Choules and Buckles, with the latter a marginal favourite for gold?

 

I've just read the whole thread, fascinating stuff and quite an education.

 

Claude Choules is the only surviving veteran to have seen active service. Surely that qualifies him as the only real veteran of the war. I know that there are official guidelines and whatnot, but if they didn't do anything...should they be counted?

 

I think that Patch was the last veteran in the real sense of the word given that he actually fought in the trenches. Choules, for example, explained his war as boring.

Coudn't agree more. It's good that the BBC and Sky are reporting him as the last veteran. Although Choules did put his life at risk, but not to the extent that Patch did.

 

John Babcock will be the last out of the three though. His health is amazing for his age whereas Buckles and Choules look like garden vegetables ready to boil in the soup.....

The BBC catches up with the DL. BBC1 is showing The Last Tommy on 9th August. As well as Harry and Claude, it features Arthur Halestrap, William 'Sandy' Young and Bill Stone.