Arthur Halestrap
Encyclopedia
Arthur Halestrap MBE
(8 September 1898 – 1 April 2004) was one of the last surviving British soldier
s of the First World War
.
Arthur Halestrap was born in Southampton
, Hampshire
. He tried to enlist in the British armed forces shortly after the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. His request was refused on account of his youth. However, in September 1916, he joined the Royal Engineers
Signal Division and was sent to France in January 1918.
After the First World War, Halestrap worked for Marconi
. In the Second World War, he became a member of the Royal Corps of Signals
, and in 1942 was seconded to the Special Operations Executive
.
After the war, Halestrap worked at first as a member of the Allied Control Commission in Germany
, then as a member of the Diplomatic Wireless Service. He retired in 1970.
In 1963, Halestrap was made a Member of the British Empire. He was awarded the French Légion d'honneur
in 1988.
He continued to appear on television documentaries into his extremely old age. In 2003, aged 105, he was the only British veteran of the First World War to attend the Armistice Day
Ceremony in Ypres
, where he rose from his wheelchair and, in a clear and strong voice, recited Laurence Binyon
's poem "For the Fallen". Along with Harry Patch
and a few others, he was featured in the 2003 television series World War 1 in Colour
as well as "The Last Tommy" on BBC 1 in 2005.
Arthur Halestrap died in Kings Sutton, where he had moved in the 1960s
.
Arthur Halestrap also lost his only son in World War II
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(8 September 1898 – 1 April 2004) was one of the last surviving British soldier
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
s of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Arthur Halestrap was born in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. He tried to enlist in the British armed forces shortly after the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. His request was refused on account of his youth. However, in September 1916, he joined the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
Signal Division and was sent to France in January 1918.
After the First World War, Halestrap worked for Marconi
Marconi Company
The Marconi Company Ltd. was founded by Guglielmo Marconi in 1897 as The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company...
. In the Second World War, he became a member of the Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
, and in 1942 was seconded to the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
.
After the war, Halestrap worked at first as a member of the Allied Control Commission in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, then as a member of the Diplomatic Wireless Service. He retired in 1970.
In 1963, Halestrap was made a Member of the British Empire. He was awarded the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1988.
He continued to appear on television documentaries into his extremely old age. In 2003, aged 105, he was the only British veteran of the First World War to attend the Armistice Day
Armistice Day
Armistice Day is on 11 November and commemorates the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, France, for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I, which took effect at eleven o'clock in the morning—the "eleventh hour of the eleventh day...
Ceremony in Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
, where he rose from his wheelchair and, in a clear and strong voice, recited Laurence Binyon
Laurence Binyon
Robert Laurence Binyon was an English poet, dramatist and art scholar. His most famous work, For the Fallen, is well known for being used in Remembrance Sunday services....
's poem "For the Fallen". Along with Harry Patch
Harry Patch
Henry John "Harry" Patch , known in his latter years as "the Last Fighting Tommy", was a British supercentenarian, briefly the oldest man in Europe, and the last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches of the First World War...
and a few others, he was featured in the 2003 television series World War 1 in Colour
World War 1 in Colour
World War 1 in Colour is a documentary narrated by Kenneth Branagh. The first of its six parts aired on 1 September 1990 in the United Kingdom. It was released on DVD in the United States as World War 1 in Color on 10 May 2005...
as well as "The Last Tommy" on BBC 1 in 2005.
Arthur Halestrap died in Kings Sutton, where he had moved in the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
.
Arthur Halestrap also lost his only son in World War II
See also
- Veterans of the First World War who died in 2004Veterans of the First World War who died in 2004The following is a list of known veterans of the First World War who died in 2004.-Australia :-Belgium :-Canada :-France :-Germany :-Italy :...