World War II Veterans

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

On 05/10/2021 at 18:00, gcreptile said:

Could the last original SAS trooper, Mike Sadler (a DDP pick) be dead? This reddit thread seems to think he passed away, but could just be ignorance:

 

Just to give a concrete answer to this, Mike Sadler is definitely still alive as The Daily Mail covered him yesterday.

[Lafaucheuse 4,046]

French resistant Jacques Le Gall dead at 100

[time 8,599]

 The Guardian straying into Telegraph territory with this obit of Stan Perry, last surviving officer from The Sherwood Rangers, the regiment with the most battle honours of the second world war.

 

Wounded during D-Day action, he returned to battle and was almost killed by shrapnel.  Following the war he was a first regular for ale RFC and worked for Unilever creating new ice-cream flavours.

 

He was 97.

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

4 minutes ago, time said:

 The Guardian straying into Telegraph territory with this obit of Stan Perry, last surviving officer from The Sherwood Rangers, the regiment with the most battle honours of the second world war.

 

Wounded during D-Day action, he returned to battle and was almost killed by shrapnel.  Following the war he was a first regular for ale RFC and worked for Unilever creating new ice-cream flavours.

 

He was 97.

Saw this yesterday and was impressed he managed to get 2 leading QOs within an hour. Then I saw the time stamps. Guardian at 17.46, snd Telegraph at 18.29. Likely Telegraph saw the Guardian one and after realising he was dead, put out a pre-prepared obit. They seem to have the most over ready obits of all the sites online, maybe bar the BBC(?). Hundreds, perhaps more. I was impressed they had a very long and detailed obit for Aaron Beck which they put up as soon as his death was confirmed.

[time 8,599]

18 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Saw this yesterday and was impressed he managed to get 2 leading QOs within an hour. Then I saw the time stamps. Guardian at 17.46, snd Telegraph at 18.29. Likely Telegraph saw the Guardian one and after realising he was dead, put out a pre-prepared obit. They seem to have the most over ready obits of all the sites online, maybe bar the BBC(?). Hundreds, perhaps more. I was impressed they had a very long and detailed obit for Aaron Beck which they put up as soon as his death was confirmed.

I know most outlets have obits at the ready for certain of the great & good, it always amuses me when the author of such an obituary predeceases his/her subject. 

 

I only reported this because it seemed a very un-Guardianlike subject; Mr. Holland's only previous foray into Guardian obits was earlier this year, that of Lyn Macdonald who it appears had a common interest in wartime history (though differing wars).

[The Old Crem 3,583]

46 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Saw this yesterday and was impressed he managed to get 2 leading QOs within an hour. Then I saw the time stamps. Guardian at 17.46, snd Telegraph at 18.29. Likely Telegraph saw the Guardian one and after realising he was dead, put out a pre-prepared obit. They seem to have the most over ready obits of all the sites online, maybe bar the BBC(?). Hundreds, perhaps more. I was impressed they had a very long and detailed obit for Aaron Beck which they put up as soon as his death was confirmed.

The BBC has different levels of pre - prepared obit’s. There doesn’t seem to be that many deaths per year that get the full obituary article separate to an article about their death posted within minutes of the death being announced while many more have pre-prepared broadcast obituary’s with the death being announced by the introduction by the newsreader.

[arghton 6,715]

https://news.yahoo.com/meet-104-old-chen-ping-160615001.html

A new "last living" member of the Flying Tigers has emerged, 104-year old Chen Ping Ching.

[Spade_Cooley 9,519]

On 03/11/2021 at 09:23, Ulitzer95 said:

Saw this yesterday and was impressed he managed to get 2 leading QOs within an hour. Then I saw the time stamps. Guardian at 17.46, snd Telegraph at 18.29. Likely Telegraph saw the Guardian one and after realising he was dead, put out a pre-prepared obit. They seem to have the most over ready obits of all the sites online, maybe bar the BBC(?). Hundreds, perhaps more. I was impressed they had a very long and detailed obit for Aaron Beck which they put up as soon as his death was confirmed.

 

If I remember correctly, the BBC has something like 2,000 pre-written obituaries ready to go. I do wonder how far down the "not likely to die any time soon" list they go, for instance if Harry Kane was run over by a bus tomorrow would they have something ready for him?

[The Old Crem 3,583]

46 minutes ago, Spade_Cooley said:

 

If I remember correctly, the BBC has something like 2,000 pre-written obituaries ready to go. I do wonder how far down the "not likely to die any time soon" list they go, for instance if Harry Kane was run over by a bus tomorrow would they have something ready for him?

Unlikely for someone young and active. I doubt anyone under 40 has a pre-written one except a few royals and maybe a few at risk from drugs. 

[time 8,599]

2 hours ago, Spade_Cooley said:

 

If I remember correctly, the BBC has something like 2,000 pre-written obituaries ready to go. I do wonder how far down the "not likely to die any time soon" list they go, for instance if Harry Kane was run over by a bus tomorrow would they have something ready for him?

 

1 hour ago, The Old Crem said:

Unlikely for someone young and active. I doubt anyone under 40 has a pre-written one except a few royals and maybe a few at risk from drugs. 

There's an old (US) article on that very subject here. A more recent one here, though that has more of an emphasis on the risks of premature publication of such obituaries.

 

Associated Press had one prepared for Britney Spears when she was 26.

[The Old Crem 3,583]

1 minute ago, time said:

 

There's an old (US) article on that very subject here. A more recent one here, though that has more of an emphasis on the risks of premature publication of such obituaries.

 

Associated Press had one prepared for Britney Spears when she was 26.

That was after she became known for unstable and risky behaviour. I doubt they have one for Adele who is older but seem as stable and non risky. 

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

2 hours ago, Spade_Cooley said:

 

If I remember correctly, the BBC has something like 2,000 pre-written obituaries ready to go. I do wonder how far down the "not likely to die any time soon" list they go, for instance if Harry Kane was run over by a bus tomorrow would they have something ready for him?

 

 

So, as someone with a familiarity with obits, re Harry Kane, probs not but they also have ongoing files on loads of currently famous people so - in effect - they're compiling the obits even when they aren't compiling the obits. In Kane's case, for example, they'll likely be keeping a close watch on all transfer speculation because it's a live topic now Spurs have a new manager and have to prove ambition. Re the possible fatality by bus, low chances I'd say unless the motor coach employed to the arriving away team at Spurs counts as a bus.

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

Annette Chalut (wiki), member of the French Resistance during WWII and a survivor of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, dead at 97 (in German).

Along with Francis Huré, Hubert Germain (who just got a Telegraph obit), and Justus Rosenberg, that's four WWII resistants who had English Wiki pages dead in less than a month.

13 survivors from my Wiki watchlist:

Maria Mirecka-Loryś (b. 1916, wiki)
Monique Hanotte MBE (b. 1920, wiki)
Epaminondas Stassinopoulos (b. 1921, wiki)
Jacques Borker (b. 1922, wiki)
Selma van de Perre (b. 1922, wiki)
Valérie André (b. 1922, wiki)
Jacqueline Fleury (b. 1923, wiki)
Madeleine Riffaud (b. 1924, wiki)
Pirro Kondi (b. 1924, wiki) could be dead?
Walkiria Terradura (b. 1924, wiki)
Adolfo Kaminsky (b. 1925, wiki)
Robert Hébras (b. 1925, wiki)
Simone Segouin (b. 1925, wiki)

[The Old Crem 3,583]

36 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Annette Chalut (wiki), member of the French Resistance during WWII and a survivor of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, dead at 97 (in German).

Along with Francis Huré, Hubert Germain (who just got a Telegraph obit), and Justus Rosenberg, that's four WWII resistants who had English Wiki pages dead in less than a month.

13 survivors from my Wiki watchlist:

Maria Mirecka-Loryś (b. 1916, wiki)
Monique Hanotte MBE (b. 1920, wiki)
Epaminondas Stassinopoulos (b. 1921, wiki)
Jacques Borker (b. 1922, wiki)
Selma van de Perre (b. 1922, wiki)
Valérie André (b. 1922, wiki)
Jacqueline Fleury (b. 1923, wiki)
Madeleine Riffaud (b. 1924, wiki)
Pirro Kondi (b. 1924, wiki) could be dead?
Walkiria Terradura (b. 1924, wiki)
Adolfo Kaminsky (b. 1925, wiki)
Robert Hébras (b. 1925, wiki)
Simone Segouin (b. 1925, wiki)

I know someone who knows a relative of Selma van de Perre. Going to get round to reading her book sometime. 

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

3 minutes ago, The Old Crem said:

I know someone who knows a relative of Selma van de Perre. Going to get round to reading her book sometime. 

Make yourself useful and find out from your friend of a relative how likely it is she will die in 2022. 

[The Old Crem 3,583]

Just now, Ulitzer95 said:

Make yourself useful and find out from your friend of a relative how likely it is she will die in 2022. 

I might make some discrete enquires. Thriugh I don’t think the relative is overtly close to them - they not a direct descendent. 

[arghton 6,715]

Crossposting here:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/11/18/julia-kabance-nations-oldest-living-female-vet-dies-111/8667183002/

Julia Kabance, oldest female WWII veteran in the United States and second-oldest WWII vet in the US (after the "seriously declining/last days" Lawrence Brooks) dead at 111.

 

 

The world's (known) current top 5 are currently:

 

Mollie Walker (112, United Kingdom, WVS) Died 22nd of January 2022

Marcel Meys (112, France, ambulance driver during the war) Died 15th of December 2021

Lawrence Brooks (112, United States, 91st Engineer Battalion) Died 5th of January 2022

Mikizo Ueda (111, Japan, Navy. Oldest axis veteran)

Ezra Hill (110, United States, unknown but fought in Normandy)

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

32 minutes ago, arghton said:

Crossposting here:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/11/18/julia-kabance-nations-oldest-living-female-vet-dies-111/8667183002/

Julia Kabance, oldest female WWII veteran in the United States and second-oldest WWII vet in the US (after the "seriously declining/last days" Lawrence Brooks) dead at 111.

 

 

The world's current top 5 are currently:

 

Mollie Walker (112, United Kingdom, WVS)

Marcel Meyes (112, France, ambulance driver during the war)

Lawrence Brooks (112, United States, 91st Engineer Battalion)

Mikizo Ueda (111, Japan, Navy. Oldest axis veteran)

Ezra Hill (110, United States, unknown but fought in Normandy)

I'm guessing that you'll probably be aware of this but this is by no means accurate. These are only 5 of the oldest that we're aware of.

The last WWI veteran, Florence Green, died 10 years ago this coming February. In the years preceding her death there was a lot of hunting for new names. Around 2005 we still had several hundred First World War vets left, all of whom were centenarians, and just as soon as you thought you had the oldest sussed out, new names came forward. The same drive of interest in WWII veterans and measuring their stats has barely started, and only in the U.S. it would seem. In 5–10 years from now we will see record keeping for # of vets, oldest vets etc. 

This will interest you. It's the estimated # of veterans in the U.S. (including by state) and it's updated every autumn. There are 240,000 in the U.S. alone as of 2021. By 2025 it will be about 65,000.

[The Old Crem 3,583]

The last WW2  veteran won’t die until about 2035:- it most likely be a female. Might be even later if underage German child solders get added to the list.

[Ulitzer95 12,586]

2 minutes ago, The Old Crem said:

The last WW2  veteran won’t die until about 2035:- it most likely be a female. Might be even later if underage German child solders get added to the list.

Later than that.

Florence Green died 94 years after the end of the First World War, in Feb 2012 (she was 17 when she signed up).

If that was to be repeated for the Second World War, then we're looking at 2039. Though given that there were 68 million combatants in WWI, and over 100 million in the second, it may even be after that. 2040s more likely.

[Arsewipe 202]

1 hour ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Later than that.

Florence Green died 94 years after the end of the First World War, in Feb 2012 (she was 17 when she signed up).

If that was to be repeated for the Second World War, then we're looking at 2039. Though given that there were 68 million combatants in WWI, and over 100 million in the second, it may even be after that. 2040s more likely.

Like I said in this thread earlier, if they class some Doris who made the teas in an airfield canteen aged 16 in 1945 as a veteran, then you could be looking at early-mid 2040s......

[arghton 6,715]

Reminds me of how Aarne Arvonen was thought to be the living Finnish Civil War veteran for over two years. He died in January 2009 from pneumonia at 111.

Until it was found out that there was actually still (atleast) one other "veteran" of the war still living: Lauri Nurminen, white guard member at the age of 11. He died the following month at 102. God knows how many more there would've been if they counted anyone who gave food to soldiers etc into that list.

 

Last WWII combat veteran/someone who actually killed another person during the war? If we'd say that a man born in 1927 (18 in 1945) lives to around 113, Henry Allingham's age, that would be around 2040. 

Not a lot of countries have run out of their WWII vets yet. Fiji lost its last one last year when Jale Bainisika died at 105, Samoa when Sualua Tui Masaniai died in 2019 at 97 and Papua New Guinea when Ben Moide died in 2013 at 89. Gambia still has atleast one: Ebou Janha.

 

I wouldn't count an auxiliary veteran who never touched a weapon a veteran, I wonder how many women who fought in the war are still alive. Atleast Galina Brok-Beltsova, last veteran of the 588th Bomber Regiment "Night Witches" and Phyllis Latour, but I could also find:

Rasammah Bhupalan (1927-) Served in the female combat Rani Jhansi Regiment.

Probably still hundreds or thousands of them out there, especially women who served in the Soviet army

[Luca@1996 47]

.

[MortalCaso 1,625]

Marcella LeBeau wiki  has died aged 102 on Sunday Nov. 21.

 

She was awarded a French Legion of Honour in 2004 along with 99 other U.S veterans of WW2. 

 

https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/native-american-advocate-ww-ii-veteran-marcella-lebeau-dies-at-102/article_fefad907-7304-545e-9ae7-9dc27baaf0b5.html

 

Would be interesting to see how many of those 100 veterans are still living.

[YoungWillz 21,037]

On 27/12/2019 at 23:15, Spade_Cooley said:

Of note this year: 90-year-old holocaust survivor Mindu Hornick, Battle of Arnhem veteran Wilf Oldham (99) and D-Day participant/fundraiser Harry Billinge (94). 

Above from New Year Honours thread.

 

Reputable sources on Twittercarcrash stating that 101yo Wilf Oldham has now died, apparently after suffering a recent heart attack.

 

DDP pick.