World War II Veterans

[Sinbabad 1,116]

On 01/04/2024 at 12:47, Sinbabad said:

In the latest issue of the document, published on 25 November 2023, three are living : Jones-Rickards, Pinder and Kellman.

 

But this article, published on 14 November 2023 says there are two survivors : Pinder and Kellman.

 

One sure thing : Jeremiah Neymour died in January 2023 a few days after his 100th birthday. The article also says there are two WW2 Bahamians Veterans left as well.

Vernon Pinder has died on 20 April at the age of 98.

Bahamas has now one or two surviving veterans : Henry Kellman and maybe (?) Doreen Carmel Jones-Rickards.

[Clorox Bleachman 2,410]

100-year-old American veteran Harold Terens marries 96-year-old Jeanne Swerlin in Normandy.

 

 

They look pretty good for their ages. The power of "getting a little action". I reckon the marriage could last for a few years.

[Comped 526]

11 hours ago, Clorox Bleachman said:

100-year-old American veteran Harold Terens marries 96-year-old Jeanne Swerlin in Normandy.

 

 

They look pretty good for their ages. The power of "getting a little action". I reckon the marriage could last for a few years.

Man's looking like he wants an Olympic medal in a sport available only on PPV, if you know what I mean...

[Ulitzer95 12,587]

6 hours ago, Comped said:

Man's looking like he wants an Olympic medal in a sport available only on PPV, if you know what I mean...

You don’t have to comment on every single new response in every single thread you know. 

[The Old Crem 3,583]

On 06/06/2024 at 22:16, Ulitzer95 said:

ITV news just confirmed that 23 D-Day veterans attended the event in Normandy today. The youngest was 96 and the oldest was 104.

Still not seeing any reports speculating on total numbers, but by contrast the 75th anniversary in Normandy in 2019 was attended by 225 veterans.

Another 4-6 appeared at the Royal Albert Hall event shown on ITV yesterday but filmed on the 6th itself so they couldn’t have travelled to Normandy. Included two of the older surviving ones at 104 and 103. 

[arghton 6,717]

On 18/05/2023 at 19:22, arghton said:

As we're listing lasts...

 

Finnish Infantry Regiment 200 aka. "soomepoisid" ("Finnish Boys"). Estonian volunteers who fought for Finland. 

There were 134 at the start of 2017. This article from early 2021 says that there are 15 living in Estonia and "around twenty" outside Estonia. A very recent source says there are have been only four in Estonia since Oliver Tammsalu died a month ago. Soomepoisid facebook said in June 2022 that there should be a total of around 18 alive.

 

Addold Mossin, 103: Neopaganist and political activist. According to online telephone directories, lives in Sweden's Täby. Alive as of December 2022, but last appearance was September 2016 and he was already decrepit back then.

 

Erich Anton, 96: In good health last summer. Died 7 September 2023.

 

Taavi Kaups, 96: Lives in Chicago. Was using a frame in 2021. Died 8 February 2024.

 

Lembit Kaselaan, 98: Not in best health but was well enough to be interviewed last year. Died 30 May 2023.

 

Gustav Pitka, 98: Been a while since his last appearance.

 

Edgar Mänd, 98: "In good health" but not seen in years.

 

Heino Sepp, 96: As above.

 

Riho Leipalu, 99: Lives in an apartment building/care home in Rönninge, Sweden. Died on the 30th of November 2023.

 

Jaanus Jahilo, 98: Able to walk without aid and still attending events frequently. Probably in the best health out of this group.

 

Artur Roopalu, 98: Still attending events but uses a walking stick.

 

Raivo Rähni, 98: Alive according to Soomepoisid facebook.

 

Endel Hert, 97: As above.

 

Harri Mutvei, 97: Paleozoologist apparently still working! Lives in Stockholm, Sweden.

 

Henry Heino Kivi, 99/100: Alive in 2020 according to Finland's Sotaveteraaniliitto and the Soomepoisid facebook wished him a happy birthday in 2023. 

Harri Mutvei, Estonian WWII veteran and expert on fossil molluscs, dead at 98.

[alt obits guy 3,371]

Gladys Lewis, who worked at the UK's codebreaking headquarters typing up transcripts of decoded Nazi intelligence, has died. She was 101. Lewis was awarded France's highest honour late last year for her work at Bletchley Park.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crggwe8pzkno

[Sinbabad 1,116]

Lila Tomek, a Rosie the Riveter who worked in a Nebraska bomber plant on B26 and B29, has died on 24 June 2024 aged 101.

[Sinbabad 1,116]

Charles Grim, a Pearl Harbor veteran, has died aged 101. He was aboard the USS Argonne when the attack took place.

[Sir Creep 7,070]

16 hours ago, Sinbabad said:

Charles Grim, a Pearl Harbor veteran, has died aged 101. He was aboard the USS Argonne when the attack took place.

That’s some grim news.

[jimbean1121 238]

23 minutes ago, Sir Creep said:

That’s some grim news.

very nice.

[Tango854 278]

On 06/12/2021 at 07:48, arghton said:

https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2021/12/6/7316379/

Olha Ilkiv (Ukrainian wiki) Ukrainian WWII partisan and liaison officer in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army dead at 101 (or 102?). The UPA fought against the Nazis and the Soviets.

*And helped the Nazis murder hundreds of thousands of Jews.

[Ulitzer95 12,587]

Double Telegraph obituary (never seen one of these before) for Jim Burrowes and Dixie Lee, the last 2 surviving Australian coastwatchers during WWII.



Burrowes (right) died on 7th July, aged 101. Lee (left) died on 8th July, just four days after turning 100.

[Tango854 278]

2 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Double Telegraph obituary (never seen one of these before) for Jim Burrowes and Dixie Lee, the last 2 surviving Australian coastwatchers during WWII.



Burrowes (right) died on 4th July, aged 101. Lee (left) died on 8th July, just four days after turning 100.

The Obituary says they died within hours of each other, and it says Burrowes died on July 7th and Lee July 8th. 

[I.R.Baboon 221]

On 04/04/2023 at 09:59, I.R.Baboon said:

Well they go even faster than I thought... cause Bernard Uiling (100) died last month (this is the only mention I can find, wasn't picked up by any media). Looks like Ellis Brandon is the last then. She'll turn 100 in 4 days.

 

(It's odd, neither Museum Engelandvaarders nor the Ministry of Defence seems to have a list of living Engelandvaarders, the Ministry did say Bernard Uiling was 'one of the last'.) 

Ellis Brandon (101) dead. The article says 'oldest living Engelandvaarder' which suggests there must be others still alive. But not clear who they might be.  

[I.R.Baboon 221]

De Volkskrant calls her 'the last known living Engelandvaarder'. I think they're right, so we can move on the last living Dutch WO II veterans and last living members of the Dutch resistance (if any..)

 

Edit: according to this site, there were 60 veterans still living earlier this year, against 90 in 2023 and 166 in 2022.

 

[Ulitzer95 12,587]

Telegraph obit for Moyra Campbell, one of the last living Wrens, who has died just a month shy of her 100th birthday.

[drol 11,945]

On 19/12/2023 at 14:15, drol said:

Here are the final Ritchie Boys notable for other reasons:

 

1)Victor Brombert (1923): literary scholar

2)Harold Zvi Schiffrin (1921): Sinologist

3)Arno J. Mayer (1926): historian.

 

If Mayer is dead as per Wiki edits, only 2 left and both above 100.

Harold Zvi Schiffrin dead at 101.

[Gisooo 3,329]

I read here that Leon Gautier, who died last year at 100 was the last surviving French participant of the Normandy Landings

 

Jacques Lewis (Wiki), French resistance fighter and veteran of Normandy Landings, older than him, dead at 105

 

[Sinbabad 1,116]

3 hours ago, Gisooo said:

I read here that Leon Gautier, who died last year at 100 was the last surviving French participant of the Normandy Landings

 

Jacques Lewis (Wiki), French resistance fighter and veteran of Normandy Landings, older than him, dead at 105

 

And the article says "One of the last surviving French participants of the Normandie landings". So there is at least one survivor left.

[Ulitzer95 12,587]

On 17/01/2023 at 00:25, arghton said:

Likely only him and Broch left. 

 

 

Some interesting or uninteresting European names that as far as I know have never been mentioned here before:

 

Miloslav Masopust - 98-year-old Czechoslovak Army Corps officer. Promoted to Brig. Gen in 2005, Maj. Gen in 2019 and to the rank of Lieutenant General in 2022. Looked fine in October, check again when he's promoted to Army General.

Agadadash Samedov - Decorated Azerbaijani veteran. 99 in March.

Veljko Bulajić - A resistance fighter/child soldier in WWII, but more known for directing Yugoslavia's four most viewed films. UNESCO Kalinga prize recipient. Looked fine in October, 95 in March.

Aris Poulianos - Greek archaeologist, anthropologist. Most known for studying the Petralona skull. And of course also known for controversy on the age of the skull. 98 and seemingly still active.

Samedov looks likely to have died off radar in 2016 according to several Facebook posts. Just Masopust from your list is still alive.

[alt obits guy 3,371]

Joe Turpin, who was featured on the big screens of the 80th anniversary of D-Day commemorations and who was the face of a Blind Veterans UK awareness campaign, has died. He was 98.

 

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/portsmouth-news/20240730/281685440110182

[alt obits guy 3,371]

Tom Pritchard, Australia's last Rat of Tobruk, has died. He was 102.

 

https://7news.com.au/sunrise/tom-pritchard-australias-last-rat-of-tobruk-dead-at-102-c-15603580

[Gisooo 3,329]

James E. Paschall (Wiki), United States Air Force major general who served as vice commander of the Aerospace Defense Command reported dead at 101

 

[whoismakoto 328]

Can someone check if the Italian WW2 veteran Giovanni Doretta has died? Said to be living in Paris in 2006.