Oldest WWI survivor remembers forgotten ones....

[Romulus111VADT]

Henry Allingham, age 112: 'We have to pray it never happens again'

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27646518/?GT1=43001

I can't imagine living this long. Especially carrying the memories of such a horrible war for so long.

There must be a very special place reserved for such an extraordinary gentlemen.

[Steve M]

He is an amazing man. Even to think that the ww2 vets are in thier 80's now. My gramps was in the balloon corp. in ww1. He would have been that age. My dad, who is gone now, was with the 101'st Airborne
as a paratrooper. He was hit soon after they dropped on D day and spent a year in hospital. I enlisted and vietnam ended while I was in boot camp so I saw no combat. My hat is off to all vets.

[C]

Henry Allingham is a remarkable gentleman. I had the privilege last year of listening to him keep an audience (of which even the oldest were mere saplings compared to his 112 years) captivated for nearly an hour talking of his experiences.

Quite touching today to see that of the three surviving British veterans, there was one sailor, Bill Stone, one soldier, Harry Patch, and one airman, Henry Allingham (the MSNBC article takes the term slightly out of context calling Allingham a "flyer"). Excellent to see them escorted by three modern day heroes from each of the armed services.

Accompanying the veterans throughout were their modern representatives: Marine Mkhuseli Jones, who holds the Military Cross; Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry, who has the Victoria Cross; and Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman, a holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

[H]

Even to think that the ww2 vets are in thier 80's now.

...or older; this one's currently 89. He was in his twenties when flying the Hellcat.

8-)

[JBaymore]

Like my dad.  Still alive at 89 1/2.  Battle of the Bulge survivor.

best,

..................john

[Flying Trucker]

Awesome story...thanks for the link.  ;)

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Romulus111VADT]

I knew a gentlemen named Tommy Forrester that was a WWI veteran. He was from England and had moved the the US in the 1930's I believe. He use to tell me all sorts of stories of "The Great War". He died on Thanksgiving Day 1978.

My mom told me that when she asked his wife what she wanted most for Christmas that year (1978), she said to spend it with Tommy. She got her Christmas wish.

[a1]

Amazing. Great story.

[beaky]

Amazing. I doubt anyone flying combat missions in that war thought any of them would live to be over 100... most of them probably figured they wouldn't see the end of the war.

[C]

Amazing. I doubt anyone flying combat missions in that war thought any of them would live to be over 100... most of them probably figured they wouldn't see the end of the war.

One of them, who wrote a famous book, nearly made it to 100. Cecil Lewis made it to 99 (the last surviving WWI "ace"), and his autobiographical book is a cracking read:

http://www.amazon.com/Sagittarius-Rising-Cecil-Lewis/dp/1853677183/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226750394&sr=8-1