# Britain's oldest WWI veteran hits 112 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 6, 2008, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003 "2008-06-06T11:08:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/1 "2008-06-06T11:08:52Z")
[Good for him](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7439117.stm)šŸ™‚ > [@](#): > > He has joked that the secret to his longevity is ā€œcigarettes, whisky and wild womenā€. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/2 "2008-06-06T11:32:10Z")
Heā€™s getting quite a party! > [@](#): > > Mr Allingham, from Ovingdean, near Brighton, will celebrate at Royal Air Force College Cranwell, Lincolnshire. > > The event will include a fly-past by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. > > There will also be a parachute jump by the Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute Display Team. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/3 "2008-06-06T12:35:59Z")
And here was me assuming all the WW1 vets were dead now, clearly far from the case. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/4 "2008-06-06T13:35:26Z")
Iā€™m about 35 miles away from one as we speak. Frank Buckles served in France. He was also working for a shipping company when WWII broke out, and was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines. He spent three years in a prison camp. Remarkable guy. Heā€™s 107 years old. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/5 "2008-06-07T14:43:07Z")
Happy Birthday, Mr. Allingham, and many more! šŸ™‚ CNN called him the oldest man in Britain, but the oldest WWI vet in the world, not just in Britain. Salute! ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/6 "2008-06-07T15:26:45Z")
Not only is he remarkable for what heā€™s seen and done, but heā€™s been a zombie, now, for 100 years: > [@linked article](#): > > Mr Allingham grew up without a father after he died from tuberculosis in 1898. Hereā€™s hoping for many more zombie birthday celebrations for Mr. Allingham! ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/7 "2008-06-08T08:54:14Z")
Sadly, all our vets have now passed on (from The Great War). Very shortly, it will fade from human memory. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/8 "2008-06-08T11:42:59Z")
[QUOTE=Cicero] Sadly, all our vets have now passed on (from The Great War). Very shortly, it will fade from human memory. [/QUOTE] Apparently, according to [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Campbell_Ross), not quite all. > [@](#): > > John Campbell (Jack) Ross (born March 11, 1899) is, at age 109, the last living Australian veteran of the First World War. He was born in Newtown, Victoria, and served as a wireless operator in the First Australian Imperial Force, enlisting in February 1918, but never left Australia or saw active service. Unless heā€™s recently passed on and Wiki hasnā€™t caught up. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/9 "2008-06-08T11:49:15Z")
[QUOTE=Ice Wolf] Apparently, according to [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Campbell_Ross), not quite all.Unless heā€™s recently passed on and Wiki hasnā€™t caught up. [/QUOTE] Ooops- my apology. I was thinking of the survivors of Gallipoli. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/10 "2008-06-08T11:53:30Z")
[QUOTE=Ice Wolf] Apparently, according to [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Campbell_Ross), not quite all. Unless heā€™s recently passed on and Wiki hasnā€™t caught up. [/QUOTE] No disrespect to Mr. Ross intended, but I donā€™t think he really counts as a ā€œWWI Veteranā€ in the sense that he never got anywhere near combat during the First World War (He never left Australia). Oldest living Australian WWI _Serviceman_? Yes, without a doubt. Oldest living Australian WWI Veteran? I must respectfully disagree, and agree with **Cicero** ā€™s assertation that all of them have, sadly, passed on. WWI is already considered ā€œAncient Historyā€ by most people, and for most people in Australia under about 50 the only things they know about WWI involve Gallipoli, the Red Baron, and maybe Lawrence of Arabia. (You might also get some mention of Biggles, but since heā€™s a fictional character he doesnā€™t count, Iā€™m afraid). ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/11 "2008-06-08T12:01:06Z")
Sadly, I am not sure that a lot know much about Lawrence of Arabia. (And his weird ideas as well). And the Boer War- good grief! ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/12 "2008-06-08T12:02:14Z")
Perhaps Mr. Ross may not be accepted as a veteran in your country, **Martini Enfield** , but over here, I attended a funeral of an NZ World War II veteran a couple of years ago who just served in Fiji ā€“ also, nowhere near combat. He merited the Last Post, and was considered a veteran. Mr Ross is your last World War I survivor who served, any rate. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/13 "2008-06-08T12:06:08Z")
I think they all deserve recognition for even volunteering. I would not be that brave. Well, I probably would at the age- but anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/14 "2008-06-08T12:27:06Z")
[QUOTE=Ice Wolf] Perhaps Mr. Ross may not be accepted as a veteran in your country, **Martini Enfield** , but over here, I attended a funeral of an NZ World War II veteran a couple of years ago who just served in Fiji ā€“ also, nowhere near combat. He merited the Last Post, and was considered a veteran. Mr Ross is your last World War I survivor who served, any rate. [/QUOTE] Fiji is outside New Zealand, the last time I checked. It might not have been anywhere near combat, but I think it does count more than not leaving NZ (or Australia) at all. FWIW, my Grandfather served there during WWII as a carpenter. Please donā€™t think for a moment that Iā€™m denigrating Mr. Rossā€™- or any other member of the Armed Forces, for that matter- service record. Itā€™s still more military service than I have, and I have a tremendous amount of respect them for that. But to me, ā€œVeteranā€ implies being on active service overseas or involved directly in the fighting. Being stationed in Australia during WWI is still service, and honourable service which deserves recognition and respect from all of us. But using the term ā€œVeteranā€ to me, at least, implies that Mr. Ross was in a Trench on the Western Front or fighting the Turks in Palestine or something like that. The fact he was a wireless operator in Australia during the last year of WWI does not make his service less valuable or less deserving of respect than that of everyone else who answered the Empireā€™s call during that time, but I donā€™t think he is a WWI Veteran in quite the same way that someone who flew Sopwith Camels over the Western Front or ousted the Germans from New Guinea is. YRMV, of course, and I respect that. Evidently Iā€™ve touched a nerve and I apologise; It was not my intention to cause offence. FWIW, I have dual Australian/New Zealand citizenship, so New Zealand does count as ā€œMy Countryā€. Well, not as much as it used to since I left there some years ago, but I do seem to find myself back there visiting family more often than Iā€™d really like. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/15 "2008-06-08T12:31:36Z")
[QUOTE=Martini Enfield] FWIW, I have dual Australian/New Zealand citizenship, so New Zealand does count as ā€œMy Countryā€. Well, not as much as it used to since I left there some years ago, but I do seem to find myself back there visiting family more often than Iā€™d really like. šŸ˜‰ [/QUOTE] No worries, I hadnā€™t forgotten youā€™re an ex-pat. Just referred to ā€œyour countryā€ as you reside in Aussie these days. Still proud to have you on the list as a former Kiwi resident! šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/16 "2008-06-08T12:37:16Z")
[QUOTE=Ice Wolf] No worries, I hadnā€™t forgotten youā€™re an ex-pat. Just referred to ā€œyour countryā€ as you reside in Aussie these days. Still proud to have you on the list as a former Kiwi resident! šŸ™‚ [/QUOTE] I like to tell people Iā€™ve improved the IQ of both countries. šŸ˜‰šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/17 "2008-06-08T12:42:07Z")
It makes me feel old- your grandfather served in Fiji in WW2? Mine served in the Boer War. Shakes walking stick. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/18 "2008-06-08T12:58:50Z")
OK, so maybe the guy didnā€™t get trenchfoot and sing carolsā€“he still signed up (or was drafted)ā€“he still was willing to serve. Itā€™s not his ā€œfaultā€ that the military sent him elsewhere to do other stuff. I count him as a vet. He served. And no one remembers WWI these days, really. Hell, the Gulf War is ancient history to some folksā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/britains-oldest-wwi-veteran-hits-112/452003/19 "2008-06-08T12:59:36Z")
[QUOTE=Cicero] It makes me feel old- your grandfather served in Fiji in WW2? Mine served in the Boer War. Shakes walking stick. [/QUOTE] Now _thereā€™s_ a war that hardly anyone seems to know anything about. Youā€™ll get a few ā€œBreaker Morantā€ references from people, but if you start talking about Winston Churchillā€™s adventures or the armoured trains or the Siege of Ladysmith most peopleā€™s eyes glaze overā€¦ I think itā€™s high time someone made a Boer War film, to be honest. One that doesnā€™t involve Breaker Morant. Maybe we can hit the Film Commission up for some money? šŸ™‚