Florence Green
Encyclopedia
Florence Beatrice Green is the last known living veteran of the First World War
. She was a member of the Women's Royal Air Force
.
, England
, to Frederick and Sarah (nėe Neal) Patterson, and moved to King's Lynn
in 1920, after her marriage to Walter Green. Her husband, a railway worker, died in 1970 after 50 years of marriage. She still lives in King's Lynn with her daughter May, who was born in 1921.
Green joined the Women's Royal Air Force
in September 1918 at the age of 17, where she served as an officers' mess steward. She worked in the officers' mess at RAF Marham
and was also based at Narborough
airfield.
She is West Norfolk
's oldest resident, the second oldest person in Norfolk
, and one of the 10 oldest people in Britain. She was identified as a Great War veteran in January 2010.
On 19 February 2011 she celebrated her 110th birthday, becoming a supercentenarian
—one of just 10 living in the United Kingdom, all women. On 20 July 2011, the Gerontology Research Group
verified her age, and listed her as an official supercentenarian
She has a son and two daughters, as well as four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
With the death of Claude Choules
on 5 May 2011, Green became the last known living veteran of World War I.
.
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...
. She was a member of the Women's Royal Air Force
Women's Royal Air Force
The Women's Royal Air Force was a women's branch of the Royal Air Force which existed in two separate incarnations.The first WRAF was an auxiliary organization of the Royal Air Force which was founded in 1918. The original intent of the WRAF was to provide female mechanics in order to free up men...
.
Biography
Green was born at Edmonton, LondonEdmonton, London
Edmonton is an area in the east of the London Borough of Enfield, England, north-north-east of Charing Cross. It has a long history as a settlement distinct from Enfield.-Location:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to Frederick and Sarah (nėe Neal) Patterson, and moved to King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
in 1920, after her marriage to Walter Green. Her husband, a railway worker, died in 1970 after 50 years of marriage. She still lives in King's Lynn with her daughter May, who was born in 1921.
Green joined the Women's Royal Air Force
Women's Royal Air Force
The Women's Royal Air Force was a women's branch of the Royal Air Force which existed in two separate incarnations.The first WRAF was an auxiliary organization of the Royal Air Force which was founded in 1918. The original intent of the WRAF was to provide female mechanics in order to free up men...
in September 1918 at the age of 17, where she served as an officers' mess steward. She worked in the officers' mess at RAF Marham
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Station Marham, more commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station; a military airbase, near the village of Marham in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia....
and was also based at Narborough
Narborough, Norfolk
Narborough is a village of 1405 hectares in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England with a population of 1095 as of the 2001 census. It is situated in the Nar Valley, with the river Nar flowing through on its way to the River Great Ouse....
airfield.
She is West Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk is a local government district and borough in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in the town of King's Lynn.-History:...
's oldest resident, the second oldest person in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, and one of the 10 oldest people in Britain. She was identified as a Great War veteran in January 2010.
On 19 February 2011 she celebrated her 110th birthday, becoming a supercentenarian
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
—one of just 10 living in the United Kingdom, all women. On 20 July 2011, the Gerontology Research Group
Gerontology Research Group
The Gerontology Research Group was started in 1990, and is a global eGroup of researchers in gerontology, some of who also meet monthly at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. The primary function of the group is to further gerontology research, with the objective of reversing or retarding aging...
verified her age, and listed her as an official supercentenarian
She has a son and two daughters, as well as four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
With the death of Claude Choules
Claude Choules
Claude Stanley Choules was the last World War I combat veteran, and was the last military witness to the scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow. He was also the last veteran to have served in both world wars, and the last seaman from the First World War...
on 5 May 2011, Green became the last known living veteran of World War I.
Legacy
In 2011 an image of Florence Beatrice Green became part of a subject for the "WWI Centenary Mural" created by Christian Corbet and Benjamin Trickett MercerBenjamin Trickett Mercer
Benjamin Trickett Mercer is an emerging sculptor living in Corner Brook. Born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 1991, he was the 2008 recipient of the City of Mt. Pearl Life Touch Award awarded by Siobhan Coady MP.- Subjects :...
.
See also
- List of last living war veterans
- List of last surviving World War I veterans by country
- List of living supercentenarians
- List of surviving veterans of World War I