# Last Male WW1 Veteran Passes Away **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 5, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794 "2011-05-05T02:54:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [May 5, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/1 "2011-05-05T02:54:11Z")
[Here.](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/05/3208495.htm?section=justin) Could be others undocumented but it is seemingly unlikely. ---
**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:** [May 5, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/2 "2011-05-05T03:01:52Z")
Missed the edit window: "The man believed to be the last living male veteran of World War I has died in Perth aged 110. British-born Claude Choules served in the Royal Navy during World War I and witnessed the scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow." ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/3 "2011-05-05T03:32:24Z")
In Perth, of all places. I’ve been to Perth. My great-uncle was a veteran of WWI. My Dad still has a number of his souvenirs–maps and service medals and such, and a form letter from George V thanking him for his service. Great-Uncle passed away back in the 1970s. His souvenirs remain, and we treasure them. As, I suppose, Mr. Choules’ family will treasure his. RIP, Mr. Choules. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/4 "2011-05-05T04:16:10Z")
I liked his answer to the question about the secret to a long life: “keep breathing”. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/5 "2011-05-05T04:42:47Z")
\*And the band plays Waltzing Matilda And the old men still answer the call But year after year, their numbers get fewer Someday, no one will march there at all \* ---
**Author:** ![ramel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb8c5e/32.png) [@ramel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ramel)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/6 "2011-05-05T05:33:54Z")
In 25-30 the last WW2 veteran will die. Time is flying =\ ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/7 "2011-05-05T11:07:57Z")
And then 25-30 years after that the last Vietnam Vet, and then another 30 years later the last Vet from Iraq/Afghanistan. And no doubt there will be other wars in the interim ---
**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:** [May 5, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/8 "2011-05-05T13:11:29Z")
RIP, Mr. Choules, and thank you. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/9 "2011-05-05T13:40:42Z")
☹ ---
**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:** [May 5, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/10 "2011-05-05T14:01:51Z")
It was always going to happen yet I feel a little sad. I was present at the Anzac Day Parade in Brisbane which was the first where there were no Boer War veterans. My grandfather was a Boer War veteran and a Great war veteran. Dad, close to 90, is a WW 2 vet. 10 years will see him out. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/11 "2011-05-05T16:36:58Z")
I can still remember when the last few Civil war vets were dying (around 1950). And I think the last Civil war widow died just a few years ago. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/12 "2011-05-06T04:36:05Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I can still remember when the last few Civil war vets were dying (around 1950). And I think the last Civil war widow died just a few years ago. Many of the old Civil War vets married young girls into the 20th century. The vets had young wives who could help take care of them, and the widows kept receiving their husbands’ benefits, a win-win situation for the time. I see one report that says the last Confederate war widow was Alberta Martin of Alabama, who died on May 31, 2004 at the age of 97, but there seem to be other claims. The 1994 novel _Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All_ springs to mind. ---
**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:** [May 6, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/13 "2011-05-06T04:47:57Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > The 1994 novel _Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All_ springs to mind. Oops. The novel was 1989. The fim version was 1994. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/14 "2011-05-09T07:25:35Z")
And the first thing that he does when he gets up to heaven is find Frank Buckles – a WWI vet who died just a couple of months ago – and say, “In your FACE!” ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/15 "2011-05-09T07:52:55Z")
Why do you/they say last _male_ WWI veteran? How could there be a female WWI veteran? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/16 "2011-05-09T07:56:06Z")
Maybe there are still-living female participants who served in auxilliary capacities and they don’t want to get into an argument about who is or is not a “veteran”? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/17 "2011-05-09T08:01:12Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Maybe there are still-living female participants who served in auxilliary capacities and they don’t want to get into an argument about who is or is not a “veteran”? Well, except it kind of insults the guy who actually _is_ a veteran to qualify it like that when in fact he was the last damn veteran, period. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/18 "2011-05-09T08:10:13Z")
Unless he wasn’t. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2011, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/19 "2011-05-09T12:04:00Z")
There is a nurse alive in England who (I understand) served in hospitals in France. I guess she qualifies as a veteran. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794/20 "2011-05-09T13:00:43Z")
92 years after the Armistice. The last WWII vet will have to hold on until 2038. The last WWIII vet will be less impressive, based on how far the shock wave has to travel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-male-ww1-veteran-passes-away/580794.md?page=2)