World War II Veterans

[InquilineKea 75]

Who are the highest-ranking WWII officers who are still alive? Any divisional or brigade commanders?

It might be hard to find a lot of them though - some really high-ranking Chinese generals from WWII died in really recent years (but they didn't even get Wikipedia articles until they died)

[Windsor 2,233]

Who are the highest-ranking WWII officers who are still alive? Any divisional or brigade commanders?

 

It might be hard to find a lot of them though - some really high-ranking Chinese generals from WWII died in really recent years (but they didn't even get Wikipedia articles until they died)

 

I would guess that all the high-ranking officers of WWII are dead. Considering the war ended 65 years ago, and considering you were not likely to reach the higher ranks before the age of 40 (although there were, of course, some exceptions), you'd be looking for men over 100 years old.

 

I suppose it depends what you count as high ranking.

[maryportfuncity 10,654]

In terms of the survivors we can rule out 'Butch' Barton.

[InquilineKea 75]

Hm, what about the highest-ranking ones who are still alive? There probably aren't any generals left, but there might be colonels or lieut colonels. I suspect that there are lots of colonels or lieut colonels who don't even have Wiki bios - but who might get telegraph obits when they die.

 

There's a Luftwaffe Oberst who's still alive (born 1913), and a SS divisional commander who's also still alive (born 1913). But I don't know of many people from any side other than the German one (the Germans seem to have the monopoly on Wiki articles even though they'll get the fewest telegraph obits).

 

Even then, you get some surprises from the Chinese, who seem to have a lot of people who live into their 100s:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%BC_Zhengcao

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Yuanliang

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiao_Ke

 

Although at this point, there are so few living vets of certain battles (like the Battle of Britain) that they'll almost certainly get telegraph obits even though they might not have Wiki articles yet.

[maryportfuncity 10,654]

Parliament - especially the Lords - hosting some discussion of belated honouring of the women of the Special Operations Executive of WW2. When it was covered on Radio Four this morning they mentioned Nancy Wake, currently resident in a care home in Richmond, but a CV that boasts killing a Gestapo officer with her bare hands and riding hundreds of miles on a bike to retrieve secret radio codes.

[Magere Hein 1,400]

Parliament - especially the Lords - hosting some discussion of belated honouring of the women of the Special Operations Executive of WW2. When it was covered on Radio Four this morning they mentioned Nancy Wake, currently resident in a care home in Richmond, but a CV that boasts killing a Gestapo officer with her bare hands and riding hundreds of miles on a bike to retrieve secret radio codes.

Allow me to pick a nit to start with. As I understand it, it was an SS sentry, rather than a Gestapo officer, whom she did for barehandedly.

 

It seems to me that those who decided honours during and after WWII in the UK, Australia and New Zealand were more than a bit sexist. Men have been awarded VCs for less.

 

regards,

Hein

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

One of WWII's most decorated servicewomen, Australian Nancy Wake, also known as The White Mouse, has died at the age of 98.

[TAFKAG 70]

Although at this point, there are so few living vets of certain battles (like the Battle of Britain) that they'll almost certainly get telegraph obits even though they might not have Wiki articles yet.

The death of the last surviving Polish pilot, Tadeusz Sawicz, a few days ago leaves approximately 75 vets alive according to BOBHSOC. Very few Few.

 

(Mods: might this thread be retitled as something a bit more generic eg World War II Veterans? - would make it easier for your average DLer to find)

[maryportfuncity 10,654]

The perfect thread to place those Daily Telegraph obits. Not exactly a WW2 officer but the woman who gave her nickname to the Spitfire has died, aged 100.

[Magere Hein 1,400]

(Mods: might this thread be retitled as something a bit more generic eg World War II Veterans? - would make it easier for your average DLer to find)

Done.

 

Hope you like the tag line.

 

regards,

Hein

[TAFKAG 70]

(Mods: might this thread be retitled as something a bit more generic eg World War II Veterans? - would make it easier for your average DLer to find)

Done.

 

Hope you like the tag line.

 

regards,

Hein

Oh yes. Taglines/supplementary threadal information is the main reason I visit.

[Spade_Cooley 9,538]

Oh yes. Taglines/supplementary threadal information is the main reason I visit.

 

This. 100x this. It still annoys me that the tagline for dead rappers isn't "Ready to Die/Life After Death".

[time 8,618]

As we have the thread, might as well use it...

 

The last British PoW sent to Colditz has died. Peter Storie-Pugh MC, was 91.

[TAFKAG 70]

Oh yes. Taglines/supplementary threadal information is the main reason I visit.

 

This. 100x this. It still annoys me that the tagline for dead rappers isn't "Ready to Die/Life After Death".

Like Olympic hostages, they're all gone... cultural vandalism

[time 8,618]

Watched BBC 2's Timewatch last night, about the Dambusters raid. Three of the surviving aircrew appeared.

 

New Zealander Les Munro, is 92 and the only pilot still alive;

 

Bomb-aimer George 'Johnny' Johnson, now 90, and the only Briton surviving;.

 

RCAF F/Sgt Grant MacDonald (age unknown but c90+) was a front-gunner.

 

Munro and Johnson are pretty much guaranteed UK obituaries, MacDonald, maybe less so.

 

Sgt Fred Sutherland (RCAF) is believed to be the only other airman still alive.

[maryportfuncity 10,654]

[TAFKAG 70]

^{Leading figure of the French resistance, Raymond Aubrac, has died.}

[maryportfuncity 10,654]

Sqd Leader Joe Blyth, utter f***ing legend who lied his way into the RAF, spent years shooting stuff up without ever getting shot down and almost became a Black and White Minstrel.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/air-force-obituaries/9194400/Squadron-Leader-Joe-Blyth.html

[Guest Guest]

^{Leading figure of the French resistance, Raymond Aubrac, has died.}

 

I wrote my university thesis on the french resistance and Raymond Aubrec played a key role.His name will never be forgotten.A great man has gone. R.I.P

[charon 4,943]

Roland de la Poype @ 92/93

 

Could have gone in a variety of threads as he invented a jeep like thing for Citreon, opened a marine life park, was married to an artist, became a mayor etc etc, but best known as one of a French fighter squadron that faught for the Russians for a while during WW2.

 

http://aviationclub.aero/video/view/698/ Interesting video by Russia Today.

[Guest David]

I know one World War II veteran who's still alive - my grandad. He was Lt Col Joe Arnott - and he's my mum's dad. I was marching with him yesterday at the Cenotaph. I'm very proud of him.

[Grande Pablo 109]

Douglas Bader's wingman Sir Alan Smith, aged 95.

 

http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/world-war-ii-pilot-sir-alan-smith-dies-aged-95-1-2820027

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

I was curious to see how many were still alive. It turns out there are still more than a million living WW2 veterans in the USA alone, albeit they are dying at a rate of 680 per day. Wikipedia has roughly the same figure, stating that, in 2011, 670 died every day.

 

Also, "Worldwide, there are about 5,250,000 still around as of late 2011." Going to still be quite a while before they thin down to triple figures.

[Ulitzer95 12,654]

I was curious to see how many were still alive.

 

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who looks such stuff up then!

 

Was trying to figure out what the youngest year of birth for WWII veterans is now and more importantly who is the oldest WWII veteran and the youngest WWII veteran alive in the world today.

 

All I could find was info on Calvin Graham (1930-1992) who was the youngest American to serve in World War II at the age of 12 > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Graham

[Davey Jones' Locker 1,324]

I suppose there are lots of young ones left who were forced into the Hitler Youth and conscripted to the frontlines on the final days.