Thursday, May 5, 2011

Claude Choules -- Last Link to WW1 RIP

As I have an interest in the last veterans of this war, I mark the passing today of Claude Choules who was living in Australia and was the last remaining living link with what has been known as the Great War. 65 Million were involved in this war and he was the last to pass away at the great age of 110. He was also the only living veteran of both world wars and the 7th oldest man in the world. He was dancing and swimming until aged 100 and wrote his memoir two years ago at the age of 108. It is titled The Last of the Last. He was the last after the death in 2009 of Harry Patch and Henry Allingham, who himself became the oldest living man in Europe and if I remember correctly lived to be 112. I watched a documentary a few years ago about them, and one anecdote they told was standing in line for a meal, one saw a small girl. He turned to another veteran and said "Do you see that three year old girl, I am 100 years older than her!" To which the other replied "That's nothing, I am 103 years older than her!" Amazing to think of the changes that these people have lived through during the course of their very long lives. May they rest in peace.

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