Henry Allingham
Encyclopedia
Henry William Allingham (6 June 1896 – 18 July 2009) was a British supercentenarian
, First World War veteran and, for one month, the verified oldest living man
in the world. He is also the second oldest military veteran ever and at the time of his death, he was the 14th verified oldest man of all time.
Allingham was the oldest ever surviving member of any of the British Armed Forces
and the oldest surviving veteran of the First World War. He was the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland
, the last surviving member of the Royal Naval Air Service
(RNAS) and the last surviving founding member of the Royal Air Force
(RAF). In 2001 he became the face of the First World War veterans' association and made frequent public appearances to ensure that awareness of the sacrifices of the First World War was not lost to modern generations. He received many honours and awards for his First World War service and his longevity.
Allingham was born in 1896 in Clapton
, County of London
. When he was 14 months old, his father, Henry Thomas Allingham, died at age 29 of tuberculosis
. Henry is recorded in the 1901 census
with his widowed mother Amy Jane Allingham (née
Foster), a laundress forewoman, living with her parents and brother at 23 Verulam Avenue, Walthamstow
. His mother remarried in 1905 to Hubert George Higgs and in 1907 the family moved to Clapham
, London. Henry and his mother are recorded in the 1911 Census living at 21 Heyford Avenue, Lambeth, while his stepfather was lodging away from home working as a wheelwright. Henry attended a London County Council
school before attending the Regent Street Polytechnic
. Allingham remembered seeing the City Imperial Volunteers return from the Second Boer War
, and also recalled watching W. G. Grace
play cricket. On leaving school, Allingham started work as a trainee surgical instrument maker at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. He did not find this job very interesting, and so left to work for a coachbuilder
specialising in car bodies.
Allingham wanted to join the war effort in August 1914 as a despatch rider
, but his critically ill mother managed to persuade him to stay at home and look after her. However, after his mother died in 1915, aged 42, Allingham enlisted with the Royal Naval Air Service
(RNAS). He became formally rated as an Air Mechanic Second Class
on 21 September 1915, and was posted to Chingford
before completing his training at Sheerness
, Kent
. His RNAS serial number was RNAS F8317.
After graduation, Allingham was posted to the RNAS Air Station at Great Yarmouth
where he worked in aircraft maintenance. On 13 April 1916, King George V
inspected the air station and its aircraft. Allingham later reported disappointment at barely missing an opportunity to speak with the king.
Allingham also worked in Bacton, Norfolk
, further up the coast, where night-flying was conducted and was later involved in supporting anti-submarine
patrols. A typical patrol would last two or three days and would involve the manual labour of hoisting a seaplane in and out of the water by means of a deck-mounted derrick
.
During the preparations for what has become known as the Battle of Jutland
, Allingham was ordered to join the naval trawler
HMT Kingfisher. Onboard was a Sopwith Schneider seaplane
that was used to patrol the surrounding waters for the German High Seas Fleet
. Allingham's responsibilities included helping to launch this aircraft. Although the Kingfisher was not directly involved in the battle (it shadowed the British Grand Fleet
and then the High Seas Fleet), Allingham still rightfully claimed to be the last known survivor of that battle and could recall "seeing shells ricocheting across the sea."
In September 1917, Allingham, by then an Air Mechanic First Class
, was posted to the Western Front
to join No. 12 Squadron RNAS
. This unit acted as a training squadron for other RNAS squadrons based on the Western Front. There is also some evidence that the squadron was involved in combat operations. When Allingham arrived at Petite-Synthe
, both the Royal Flying Corps
(RFC) and the RNAS were involved in the Ypres offensive. Allingham also instrumented the very first reconnaissance aircraft camera during the First World War. On 3 November 1917, he was posted to the aircraft depot at Dunkirk, France where he remained for the rest of the war, on aircraft repair and recovery duties. He recalls being bombed from the air and shelled from both the land and the sea.
He transferred to the Royal Air Force
when the RNAS and the RFC were merged on 1 April 1918. The creation of the Royal Air Force did not initially have a big impact on Allingham and he later remarked that at that time he still considered himself a navy man. In the RAF he was ranked as a Rigger Aero, Aircraft Mechanic Second Class and was given a new service number: 208317. Allingham returned to the Home Establishment in February 1919 and was formally discharged to the RAF Reserve on 16 April 1919. During the last few years of his life Allingham was recognized as the last surviving founding member of the RAF. Speaking with Dennis Goodwin of the First World War Veterans' Association, Allingham said, "It is a shock as well as a privilege to think that I am the only man alive from that original reorganisation when the RAF was formed."
plant which had opened only a few years previously in 1931.
, Norfolk
in 1918. They married the same year in Romford
, when she was 22. They moved to Eastbourne
, Sussex
in 1960 and remained married until she died there from acute and chronic lymphatic leukemia. They had two daughters, Betty (born 1920) and Jean (1923–2001). Jean emigrated to the United States and died aged 78 in 2001. At the time of his death Allingham believed that Betty had died. He had lost touch with her in the 1970s following a family rift after the death of his wife in 1970. In fact Betty Hankin was still alive aged 89 when her father died, and living in Stroud
, Gloucestershire
. In addition to his one remaining daughter Betty, at the time of his death Allingham had seven grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-great-grandchild.
and worked on a number of projects. Perhaps his most significant contribution was the design of an effective counter-measure to the German magnetic mine
s. During his Christmas
lunch in 1939 he was called away to help design a system that would neutralise the mines and open the port of Harwich
, Essex
. Nine days later, he had successfully completed the task.
After the Second World War Allingham continued to work for Ford until he retired in 1960. After Denis Goodwin of the First World War Veterans' Association tracked him down in 2001, Allingham took a prominent role in telling his story so that later generations would not forget. On 16 October 2003, he helped launch the 2003 Royal British Legion
Poppy Appeal with model Nell McAndrew
aboard the cruiser
. He was quoted as saying "[The veterans] have given all they have got for the country ... I owe them ... we all owe them."
A ceremony at the Cenotaph
in Whitehall, London
on 4 August 2004, marked the 90th anniversary of Britain's entry into the First World War. Allingham attended, together with three other First World War veterans, William Stone, Fred Lloyd and John Oborne. Allingham also marched past the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday
in 2005 and laid wreath
s at memorials in Saint-Omer
on Armistice Day
. That was the last time a First World War veteran marched past the Cenotaph and it marked the end of an era. No First World War veterans were present at the Cenotaph for the 2006 Remembrance Sunday Parade.
As the last surviving member of the RNAS, and the last living founding member of the RAF, Allingham was an honoured guest when the British Air Services Memorial was unveiled at Saint-Omer
on 11 September 2004. During the ceremony Allingham was given the Gold Medal of Saint-Omer, which marked the award of the Freedom of the Town
. The group of RAF technical trainees that joined him at this ceremony continued to visit Allingham at his retirement home in Eastbourne, demonstrating the bond of respect that these men had for Allingham.
In November 2005 Allingham accepted an invitation from the International Holographic Portrait Archive to have his holographic portrait taken. His image was recorded for posterity in December 2005. At the same time, an exhibition was being planned for London's floating naval museum on board HMS Belfast, entitled the Ghosts of Jutland. A copy of this portrait was donated to the museum and HRH The Duchess of Gloucester unveiled the portrait to mark the opening of the exhibition.
Allingham was awarded the freedom of his home town
of Eastbourne by the mayor on 21 April 2006. He lived on his own until May 2006 when, one month before his 110th birthday and with failing eyesight, he moved to St Dunstan's
, a charity for blind ex-service personnel, at Ovingdean
, near Brighton
. Aside from his poor eyesight, he was reportedly in good health, with visitors remarking on his memory and voice.
Allingham attended the 1 July 2006 commemorations at the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. He did not attend the 2006 Remembrance Day
parade on 11 November at the Cenotaph as he was in France at a wreath-laying ceremony and to receive the Freedom of The Town of Saint-Omer. He did, however, launch the Eastbourne Poppy Appeal before leaving for this trip.
On 18 April 2007 Allingham visited Wilnecote High School
in Tamworth
, Staffordshire
to answer students' questions about the First World War, after they wrote to veterans asking them about their experiences. In October 2007 he was honoured at the Pride of Britain Awards
. Between his 110th and 111th birthdays Allingham made over 60 public appearances, including a visit to The Oval
on 5 June 2007, the day before his 111th birthday, where he was wheeled around the boundary in front of the spectators.
On his 111th birthday, a Royal Marines
band played to Allingham on board before he returned with friends and relatives to the Queen's Hotel on the Portsmouth
seafront for afternoon tea. Asked how it felt, Allingham replied, "I'm pleased to be seeing another tomorrow. It's just the same as it was as at any age, it's no different. I'm happy to be alive and I'm looking forward to the celebrations. I never imagined I'd get to 111."
On 1 April 2008, the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Air Force, Allingham was guest of honour at the celebratory events at RAF Odiham
in Hampshire. By then, Allingham was the only surviving founder member of the RAF.
Allingham celebrated his 112th birthday with members of his family at RAF Cranwell
, Lincolnshire
as the guest of honour at a luncheon at the college. During the day the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
performed a flypast which was followed by an acrobatic display from two Tutor
aircraft. In June 2008, at his personal request, Allingham was taken on a guided tour of the Eurofighter Typhoon
aircraft at BAE Systems
in Warton
, Lancashire
, as part of the National Veterans' Day celebrations.
On 23 September 2008, Allingham launched a book about his life, co-written by Denis Goodwin, with an event at the RAF Club in London.
On 11 November 2008, marking the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, together with Harry Patch
and Bill Stone, Allingham laid a commemorative wreath for the Act of Remembrance at The Cenotaph in London. Allingham was invested as a Scout
on 18 November 2008, 100 years after he first joined as a youth. He said he was only able to spend six weeks with his local group as a boy. Allingham celebrated his 113th birthday on , at an event hosted by the Royal Navy
. He received a signed birthday card from First Sea Lord
Sir
Jonathon Band
and saw a Mark 8 Royal Navy Lynx
flying overhead while he was sitting outside in his wheelchair. When asked the secret of his long life, Allingham said, "I don't know, but I would say, be as good as you possibly can."
Allingham overtook George Frederick Ives
as the longest lived member of the British Armed Forces on 1 November 2007. He was therefore the longest lived British First World War veteran to date.
Following the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009, Allingham became the oldest living man. At his death, he was the oldest living veteran of the First World War
, but not the longest lived member of any armed force in any conflict; this record is held by Emiliano Mercado del Toro
of Puerto Rico
, who also served in the First World War.
Allingham was the oldest living man in England for several years. Official recognition by Guinness World Records
came in January 2007. On 8 February 2007, with the death of 110-year-old Antonio Pierro
, he became the oldest known living veteran of the First World War, as well as the third-oldest living man in the world. On 13 February 2007, he became the UK's second-oldest living person, behind Florrie Baldwin
. Since the death of French supercentenarian
Maurice Floquet
on 10 November 2006, Allingham was the oldest validated living man in Europe. The death of Japanese man Sukesaburo Nakanishi on 22 August 2007 meant that from then on Allingham shared the position of second-oldest man in the world with George Francis, an American man also born on 6 June 1896, for more than a year until Francis' death on 27 December 2008. On 29 March 2009, Allingham became the oldest British man of all time. With the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009 he became the oldest living man in the world; after Allingham's death, that title passed to Walter Breuning
of Montana
.
On 13 February 2007, he became the UK's second-oldest living person, behind Florrie Baldwin
, and on 29 March 2009, he became the oldest ever British male, surpassing Welshman
John Evans
who died aged 112 years and 295 days. He was also the first ever verified British man to reach the age of 113. Guinness World Records
confirmed that at age 113 years, 13 days, he became the oldest living man in the world, following the death of Japanese supercentenarian Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009. On 18 July 2009, Allingham died of natural causes aged 113 years and 42 days.
As the number of First World War veterans dwindled calls grew to give the last remaining veteran a state funeral
. The calls resulted in Her Majesty's Government approving on 27 June 2006 a National Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey
to take place after the death of the last known British First World War veteran. Prior to this announcement Allingham often said that he tried not to think about the prospect, but has also been quoted as saying "I don't mind — as long as it's not me." Allingham received a letter from Member of Parliament
Tom Watson
on 14 July 2006 explaining the reasoning for a national memorial service rather than a state funeral, as the intention is to commemorate the entire generation that fought in the war rather than single out an individual.
In Harry Patch's
book The Last Fighting Tommy, the author claims that Allingham planned to leave his body to medical science. In his own book Kitchener's Last Volunteer Allingham confirmed that he was intending to leave his body to medical science. However he was persuaded by Denis Goodwin to change his mind, as he became a symbol of World War I to remind people of the sacrifices made during the conflict. To that end he agreed to a funeral and cremation.
Allingham was awarded four medals, two of which were medals from the First World War
. The Gold Medal of Saint-Omer was awarded to Allingham on 11 September 2004 when he was given the Freedom of the Town of Saint-Omer. He was also awarded France's highest military honour, the Légion d'honneur
, in which he was appointed a chevalier in 2003 and promoted to officier in 2009. The remaining two medals are British Campaign Medals from the First World War: the British War Medal
and the Victory Medal
; those two medals are colloquially known as "Mutt and Jeff". These two medals are replacement medals supplied by the Ministry of Defence after discovering at a recent cenotaph parade that Allingham's original campaign medals were destroyed during the Blitz
of the Second World War.
, and a position as an honorary member of the Fleet Air Arm Association
.
Although not formally qualified he was recognised by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) who presented him with a Chartered Engineer
award on 19 December 2008.
Allingham had the following to say about the award:
This was followed on 22 May 2009 with the award of an honorary doctorate in engineering at the Southampton Solent University
by the university's chancellor, the former First Sea Lord
Alan West
, for his contribution to Britain and its allies during two world wars and his continuing charity work, especially connected with veteran servicemen and women.
Allingham died of natural causes in his sleep at 3:10 am on 18 July 2009 at his care home, St Dunstan's Centre in Ovingdean
near Brighton, aged 113 years and 42 days.
Allingham's funeral took place at St Nicholas' Church
, Brighton
at noon on 30 July 2009, with full military honours
. His coffin was carried by three Royal Navy seamen and three RAF airmen. The service was preceded by a half-muffled quarter peal on the church's bells
, rung by local ringers and members of the RAF and Royal Navy change ringing
associations. Among the mourners was the Duchess of Gloucester, representing the Queen, and Veteran's Minister Kevan Jones
. Senior Royal Navy
and Royal Air Force
officers, including Vice-Admiral
Sir Adrian Johns
and Air Vice-Marshal
Peter Dye, represented the two services of which Allingham had been a member. Allingham's surviving daughter, Betty Hankin, 89, attended the funeral, with several members of her family. The funeral was followed by a flypast of five replica First World War aircraft; British and French buglers played the Last Post
and Reveille
; and a bell was tolled 113 times, once for each year of his life.
The BBC commissioned Carol Ann Duffy
, the Poet Laureate
, to write a poem to mark the deaths of Allingham and Harry Patch
, who died one week after Allingham on 25 July 2009. The result, Last Post
, was read by Duffy on the BBC Radio 4
programme Today
on the day of Allingham's funeral. A tree was planted, and a commemorative plaque unveiled, at the Eastbourne Redoubt
on 22 May 2010 to mark Allingham's residence in the town.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
, First World War veteran and, for one month, the verified oldest living man
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
in the world. He is also the second oldest military veteran ever and at the time of his death, he was the 14th verified oldest man of all time.
Allingham was the oldest ever surviving member of any of the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
and the oldest surviving veteran of the First World War. He was the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, the last surviving member of the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
(RNAS) and the last surviving founding member of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF). In 2001 he became the face of the First World War veterans' association and made frequent public appearances to ensure that awareness of the sacrifices of the First World War was not lost to modern generations. He received many honours and awards for his First World War service and his longevity.
Early life
Upper Clapton
Upper Clapton is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is bounded by the Hackney districts of Stamford Hill to the west, Lower Clapton and Lea Bridge to the south and the Haringey district of South Tottenham to the north...
, County of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
. When he was 14 months old, his father, Henry Thomas Allingham, died at age 29 of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. Henry is recorded in the 1901 census
United Kingdom Census 1901
A nationwide census was conducted in England and Wales on 31 March 1901. It contains records for 32 million people and 6 million houses, It covers the whole of England and Wales, with the exception of parts of Deal in Kent. Separate censuses were held in Scotland and Ireland...
with his widowed mother Amy Jane Allingham (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Foster), a laundress forewoman, living with her parents and brother at 23 Verulam Avenue, Walthamstow
Walthamstow
Walthamstow is a district of northeast London, England, located in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is situated north-east of Charing Cross...
. His mother remarried in 1905 to Hubert George Higgs and in 1907 the family moved to Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
, London. Henry and his mother are recorded in the 1911 Census living at 21 Heyford Avenue, Lambeth, while his stepfather was lodging away from home working as a wheelwright. Henry attended a London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
school before attending the Regent Street Polytechnic
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
. Allingham remembered seeing the City Imperial Volunteers return from the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, and also recalled watching W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
play cricket. On leaving school, Allingham started work as a trainee surgical instrument maker at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. He did not find this job very interesting, and so left to work for a coachbuilder
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
specialising in car bodies.
First World War
Despatch rider
A despatch rider is a military messenger, mounted on horse or motorcycle.Despatch riders were used by armed forces to deliver urgent orders and messages between headquarters and military units...
, but his critically ill mother managed to persuade him to stay at home and look after her. However, after his mother died in 1915, aged 42, Allingham enlisted with the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
(RNAS). He became formally rated as an Air Mechanic Second Class
Aircraftman
Aircraftman , or Aircraftwoman , is the lowest rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of several other Commonwealth countries....
on 21 September 1915, and was posted to Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
before completing his training at Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. His RNAS serial number was RNAS F8317.
After graduation, Allingham was posted to the RNAS Air Station at Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
where he worked in aircraft maintenance. On 13 April 1916, King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
inspected the air station and its aircraft. Allingham later reported disappointment at barely missing an opportunity to speak with the king.
Allingham also worked in Bacton, Norfolk
Bacton, Norfolk
Bacton is a village and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is on the Norfolk coast, some 20 km south-east of Cromer, 40 km north-west of Great Yarmouth and 30 km north of Norwich. Besides the village of Bacton, the parish includes the nearby settlements of Bacton Green, Broomholm,...
, further up the coast, where night-flying was conducted and was later involved in supporting anti-submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
patrols. A typical patrol would last two or three days and would involve the manual labour of hoisting a seaplane in and out of the water by means of a deck-mounted derrick
Derrick
A derrick is a lifting device composed of one tower, or guyed mast such as a pole which is hinged freely at the bottom. It is controlled by lines powered by some means such as man-hauling or motors, so that the pole can move in all four directions. A line runs up it and over its top with a hook on...
.
During the preparations for what has become known as the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
, Allingham was ordered to join the naval trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
HMT Kingfisher. Onboard was a Sopwith Schneider seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
that was used to patrol the surrounding waters for the German High Seas Fleet
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
. Allingham's responsibilities included helping to launch this aircraft. Although the Kingfisher was not directly involved in the battle (it shadowed the British Grand Fleet
British Grand Fleet
The Grand Fleet was the main fleet of the British Royal Navy during the First World War.-History:It was formed in 1914 by the British Atlantic Fleet combined with the Home Fleet and it included 35-40 state-of-the-art capital ships. It was initially commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe...
and then the High Seas Fleet), Allingham still rightfully claimed to be the last known survivor of that battle and could recall "seeing shells ricocheting across the sea."
In September 1917, Allingham, by then an Air Mechanic First Class
Leading Aircraftman
Leading aircraftman Leading aircraftman (LAC) Leading aircraftman (LAC) (or leading aircraftwoman (LACW) is a rank in some air forces, between aircraftman and senior aircraftman and having a NATO rank code of OR-2. The rank badge is a horizontal two-bladed propeller....
, was posted to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
to join No. 12 Squadron RNAS
No. 212 Squadron RAF
No. 212 Squadron RAF is an inactive Royal Air Force aircraft squadron.The squadron was first formed as No. 12 Squadron RNAS as a training unit within No 1 Wing of the Royal Naval Air Service at Hondschoote on 8 June 1917...
. This unit acted as a training squadron for other RNAS squadrons based on the Western Front. There is also some evidence that the squadron was involved in combat operations. When Allingham arrived at Petite-Synthe
Petite-Synthe
Petite-Synthe is a former commune of the Nord département in northern France.The commune of Saint-Pol-sur-Mer was created in 1877, by its territory being detached from Petite-Synthe. In 1972 the commune of Dunkerque absorbed Petite-Synthe and Rosendaël. In 1980, a large part of Petite-Synthe was...
, both the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
(RFC) and the RNAS were involved in the Ypres offensive. Allingham also instrumented the very first reconnaissance aircraft camera during the First World War. On 3 November 1917, he was posted to the aircraft depot at Dunkirk, France where he remained for the rest of the war, on aircraft repair and recovery duties. He recalls being bombed from the air and shelled from both the land and the sea.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
when the RNAS and the RFC were merged on 1 April 1918. The creation of the Royal Air Force did not initially have a big impact on Allingham and he later remarked that at that time he still considered himself a navy man. In the RAF he was ranked as a Rigger Aero, Aircraft Mechanic Second Class and was given a new service number: 208317. Allingham returned to the Home Establishment in February 1919 and was formally discharged to the RAF Reserve on 16 April 1919. During the last few years of his life Allingham was recognized as the last surviving founding member of the RAF. Speaking with Dennis Goodwin of the First World War Veterans' Association, Allingham said, "It is a shock as well as a privilege to think that I am the only man alive from that original reorganisation when the RAF was formed."
Career
In addition to his military service as a mechanic, Allingham spent the vast majority of his professional life as an engineer. His employers included Thorns Car Body Makers, Vickers General Motors and H.J.M. Car Body Builders. He started his longest stretch of employment in 1934 designing new car bodies for the Ford Motor Company at their DagenhamDagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
plant which had opened only a few years previously in 1931.
Family life
Allingham met Dorothy Cator (1895–1970) in Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
, 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...
in 1918. They married the same year in Romford
Romford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
, when she was 22. They moved to Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
, Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
in 1960 and remained married until she died there from acute and chronic lymphatic leukemia. They had two daughters, Betty (born 1920) and Jean (1923–2001). Jean emigrated to the United States and died aged 78 in 2001. At the time of his death Allingham believed that Betty had died. He had lost touch with her in the 1970s following a family rift after the death of his wife in 1970. In fact Betty Hankin was still alive aged 89 when her father died, and living in Stroud
Stroud
Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. In addition to his one remaining daughter Betty, at the time of his death Allingham had seven grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-great-grandchild.
Second World War
During the Second World War, Allingham was in a reserved occupationReserved occupation
A reserved occupation is an occupation considered important enough to a country that those serving in such occupations are exempt - in fact forbidden - from military service....
and worked on a number of projects. Perhaps his most significant contribution was the design of an effective counter-measure to the German magnetic mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s. During his Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
lunch in 1939 he was called away to help design a system that would neutralise the mines and open the port of Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. Nine days later, he had successfully completed the task.
Post-WWII
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion , sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants.-History:The British Legion was...
Poppy Appeal with model Nell McAndrew
Nell McAndrew
Nell McAndrew is an English glamour model.-Career:...
aboard the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
. He was quoted as saying "[The veterans] have given all they have got for the country ... I owe them ... we all owe them."
A ceremony at the Cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
in Whitehall, London
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
on 4 August 2004, marked the 90th anniversary of Britain's entry into the First World War. Allingham attended, together with three other First World War veterans, William Stone, Fred Lloyd and John Oborne. Allingham also marched past the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday
Remembrance Sunday
In the United Kingdom, 'Remembrance Sunday' is held on the second Sunday in November, which is the Sunday nearest to 11 November Armistice Day. It is the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War at 11 a.m...
in 2005 and laid wreath
Wreath
A wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses...
s at memorials in Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area....
on 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...
. That was the last time a First World War veteran marched past the Cenotaph and it marked the end of an era. No First World War veterans were present at the Cenotaph for the 2006 Remembrance Sunday Parade.
As the last surviving member of the RNAS, and the last living founding member of the RAF, Allingham was an honoured guest when the British Air Services Memorial was unveiled at Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area....
on 11 September 2004. During the ceremony Allingham was given the Gold Medal of Saint-Omer, which marked the award of the Freedom of the Town
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
. The group of RAF technical trainees that joined him at this ceremony continued to visit Allingham at his retirement home in Eastbourne, demonstrating the bond of respect that these men had for Allingham.
In November 2005 Allingham accepted an invitation from the International Holographic Portrait Archive to have his holographic portrait taken. His image was recorded for posterity in December 2005. At the same time, an exhibition was being planned for London's floating naval museum on board HMS Belfast, entitled the Ghosts of Jutland. A copy of this portrait was donated to the museum and HRH The Duchess of Gloucester unveiled the portrait to mark the opening of the exhibition.
Allingham was awarded the freedom of his home town
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Eastbourne by the mayor on 21 April 2006. He lived on his own until May 2006 when, one month before his 110th birthday and with failing eyesight, he moved to St Dunstan's
St Dunstan's
St Dunstan's is a large national charity in the United Kingdom, providing support, rehabilitation and respite care to blind ex-service personnel of the British Armed Forces....
, a charity for blind ex-service personnel, at Ovingdean
Ovingdean
Ovingdean is a small formerly agricultural village which was absorbed into the borough of Brighton, East Sussex, UK, in 1928, and now forms part of the city of Brighton and Hove. It has expanded through the growth of residential streets on its eastern and southern sides, and now has a population of...
, near Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
. Aside from his poor eyesight, he was reportedly in good health, with visitors remarking on his memory and voice.
Allingham attended the 1 July 2006 commemorations at the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. He did not attend the 2006 Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
parade on 11 November at the Cenotaph as he was in France at a wreath-laying ceremony and to receive the Freedom of The Town of Saint-Omer. He did, however, launch the Eastbourne Poppy Appeal before leaving for this trip.
On 18 April 2007 Allingham visited Wilnecote High School
Wilnecote
Wilnecote is an English housing district about 3 km south east of Tamworth, Staffordshire. It is one of the largest communities in the town....
in Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
to answer students' questions about the First World War, after they wrote to veterans asking them about their experiences. In October 2007 he was honoured at the Pride of Britain Awards
Pride of Britain Awards
The Pride of Britain Awards is an annual event in the United Kingdom, honouring ordinary people who have acted bravely or extraordinarily in challenging situations....
. Between his 110th and 111th birthdays Allingham made over 60 public appearances, including a visit to The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
on 5 June 2007, the day before his 111th birthday, where he was wheeled around the boundary in front of the spectators.
On his 111th birthday, a Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
band played to Allingham on board before he returned with friends and relatives to the Queen's Hotel on the Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
seafront for afternoon tea. Asked how it felt, Allingham replied, "I'm pleased to be seeing another tomorrow. It's just the same as it was as at any age, it's no different. I'm happy to be alive and I'm looking forward to the celebrations. I never imagined I'd get to 111."
On 1 April 2008, the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Royal Air Force, Allingham was guest of honour at the celebratory events at RAF Odiham
RAF Odiham
RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the historic small village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook HC2, HC2A and HC3...
in Hampshire. By then, Allingham was the only surviving founder member of the RAF.
Allingham celebrated his 112th birthday with members of his family at RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
as the guest of honour at a luncheon at the college. During the day the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane...
performed a flypast which was followed by an acrobatic display from two Tutor
Grob G 115
|- Incidents and Accidents :*In February 2009, two RAF Tutors operating air experience flights from RAF St Athan collided in mid-air. All four occupants were killed, a pilot and a female Air Training Corps cadet in each aircraft. The two cadets killed were cousins Nikkita Marie Walters, 13, and...
aircraft. In June 2008, at his personal request, Allingham was taken on a guided tour of the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
aircraft at BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
in Warton
Warton, Fylde
Warton is a village on the Fylde in Lancashire, England.The village is about six miles from Preston and eight miles from Blackpool. It is located on the banks of the River Ribble, close to its entry into the Irish Sea. It is best known for its airfield, BAE Warton and its associated aircraft works...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, as part of the National Veterans' Day celebrations.
On 23 September 2008, Allingham launched a book about his life, co-written by Denis Goodwin, with an event at the RAF Club in London.
On 11 November 2008, marking the 90th anniversary of the end of the First World War, together 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 Bill Stone, Allingham laid a commemorative wreath for the Act of Remembrance at The Cenotaph in London. Allingham was invested as a Scout
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
on 18 November 2008, 100 years after he first joined as a youth. He said he was only able to spend six weeks with his local group as a boy. Allingham celebrated his 113th birthday on , at an event hosted by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He received a signed birthday card from First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Jonathon Band
Jonathon Band
Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, GCB, DL, ADC , from 2006 to 2009, was the First Sea Lord of the United Kingdom, the most senior serving officer in the Royal Navy. Before serving as First Sea Lord he was Commander-in-Chief Fleet...
and saw a Mark 8 Royal Navy Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
flying overhead while he was sitting outside in his wheelchair. When asked the secret of his long life, Allingham said, "I don't know, but I would say, be as good as you possibly can."
Oldest living man
Allingham credited "cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women – and a good sense of humour" for his longevity.Allingham overtook George Frederick Ives
George Frederick Ives
-External links:*...
as the longest lived member of the British Armed Forces on 1 November 2007. He was therefore the longest lived British First World War veteran to date.
Following the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009, Allingham became the oldest living man. At his death, he was the oldest living veteran of the First World War
Surviving veterans of World War I
The last living verified veteran of World War I is Florence Green, a British woman who served in the Allied armed forces. The last combat veteran was Claude Choules who served in the British Royal Navy , and died 5 May 2011, aged 110...
, but not the longest lived member of any armed force in any conflict; this record is held by Emiliano Mercado del Toro
Emiliano Mercado del Toro
Emiliano Mercado del Toro was, at age 115, the world's oldest person for six weeks, and the world's oldest man from November 19, 2004 until his own death on January 24, 2007. He is the oldest verified military veteran ever...
of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, who also served in the First World War.
Allingham was the oldest living man in England for several years. Official recognition by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
came in January 2007. On 8 February 2007, with the death of 110-year-old Antonio Pierro
Antonio Pierro
Antonio "Tony" Pierro was, at age 110, recognized as the oldest living man in the U.S. and the world's oldest living WWI veteran . He was one of the last surviving veterans of World War I...
, he became the oldest known living veteran of the First World War, as well as the third-oldest living man in the world. On 13 February 2007, he became the UK's second-oldest living person, behind Florrie Baldwin
Florrie Baldwin
Florence Emily Baldwin, née Davies was, at the time of her death, the oldest living person in the United Kingdom and Europe.-Biography:...
. Since the death of French 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....
Maurice Floquet
Maurice Floquet
Maurice Noël Floquet was, at age 111, France's oldest man on record and was one of the last surviving French veterans of World War I. He was, at the age of 111 years and 320 days, France's longest-lived soldier ever. Moreover, Maurice was France's oldest living man for more than four years...
on 10 November 2006, Allingham was the oldest validated living man in Europe. The death of Japanese man Sukesaburo Nakanishi on 22 August 2007 meant that from then on Allingham shared the position of second-oldest man in the world with George Francis, an American man also born on 6 June 1896, for more than a year until Francis' death on 27 December 2008. On 29 March 2009, Allingham became the oldest British man of all time. With the death of Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009 he became the oldest living man in the world; after Allingham's death, that title passed to Walter Breuning
Walter Breuning
Walter Breuning 1896 2011) was an American supercentenarian. He was the last known surviving man who was born in 1896. Breuning is the oldest undisputed American-born man on record. He was the last verified American man born in the 19th Century. At the time of his death, Breuning was the third...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
.
On 13 February 2007, he became the UK's second-oldest living person, behind Florrie Baldwin
Florrie Baldwin
Florence Emily Baldwin, née Davies was, at the time of her death, the oldest living person in the United Kingdom and Europe.-Biography:...
, and on 29 March 2009, he became the oldest ever British male, surpassing Welshman
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
John Evans
John Evans (supercentenarian)
John Evans of Fforestfach, Swansea was the longest-lived authenticated man ever from the United Kingdom from 27 May 1989 until 29 March 2009, when Henry Allingham broke his record...
who died aged 112 years and 295 days. He was also the first ever verified British man to reach the age of 113. Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
confirmed that at age 113 years, 13 days, he became the oldest living man in the world, following the death of Japanese supercentenarian Tomoji Tanabe on 19 June 2009. On 18 July 2009, Allingham died of natural causes aged 113 years and 42 days.
As the number of First World War veterans dwindled calls grew to give the last remaining veteran a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
. The calls resulted in Her Majesty's Government approving on 27 June 2006 a National Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
to take place after the death of the last known British First World War veteran. Prior to this announcement Allingham often said that he tried not to think about the prospect, but has also been quoted as saying "I don't mind — as long as it's not me." Allingham received a letter from Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Tom Watson
Tom Watson (politician)
Thomas Anthony Watson is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for West Bromwich East since 2001. Watson was a Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office from 2008 to 2009...
on 14 July 2006 explaining the reasoning for a national memorial service rather than a state funeral, as the intention is to commemorate the entire generation that fought in the war rather than single out an individual.
In Harry Patch's
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...
book The Last Fighting Tommy, the author claims that Allingham planned to leave his body to medical science. In his own book Kitchener's Last Volunteer Allingham confirmed that he was intending to leave his body to medical science. However he was persuaded by Denis Goodwin to change his mind, as he became a symbol of World War I to remind people of the sacrifices made during the conflict. To that end he agreed to a funeral and cremation.
Milestones
- 06/06/1996 – 100th birthday
- 20/07/2003 – Oldest verified living British man upon the death of Jack DavisJack Davis (veteran)John Edward 'Jack' Davis was one of the last surviving British veterans of the First World War and the last of the Kitchener's Volunteers. He died aged 108 after briefly holding the title of Britain's oldest man....
- 06/06/2006 – 110th birthday
- 10/11/2006 – Oldest living man in Europe following the death of Frenchman Maurice FloquetMaurice FloquetMaurice Noël Floquet was, at age 111, France's oldest man on record and was one of the last surviving French veterans of World War I. He was, at the age of 111 years and 320 days, France's longest-lived soldier ever. Moreover, Maurice was France's oldest living man for more than four years...
- 13/02/2007 – Second oldest person in Britain upon the death of Aida MasonAida MasonAda Mason, née Wagstaff was the oldest living person in the UK at 111 years of age, from the death of fellow 111-year-old Scotswoman Annie Knight on 27 November 2006, until Mason's own death at age 111 years, 138 days....
- 01/11/2007 – Oldest ever member of any British armed forces, surpassing George IvesGeorge Frederick Ives-External links:*...
who died in 1993 aged 111 years and 146 days - 13/03/2008 – Oldest ever English man, surpassing John Mosely TurnerJohn Mosely TurnerJohn Mosely Turner was a British supercentenarian and the oldest recognised living person for more than two years...
who died in 1968 aged 111 years and 280 days - 29/03/2009 – Oldest ever British man, surpassing Welshman John EvansJohn Evans (supercentenarian)John Evans of Fforestfach, Swansea was the longest-lived authenticated man ever from the United Kingdom from 27 May 1989 until 29 March 2009, when Henry Allingham broke his record...
who died in 1990 aged 112 years and 295 days - 06/06/2009 – First British man to reach the age of 113
- 19/06/2009 – Oldest living man in the world following the death of Japanese man Tomoji Tanabe
- 18/07/2009 – Died aged 113 years 42 days, the second oldest man ever to die in Europe, behind only Joan RiudavetsJoan RiudavetsJoan Riudavets Moll was a Spanish supercentenarian and at the time of his death, was believed to be the oldest verified person ever in the history of Spain. However, subsequent research by the International Database on Longevity has revealed that there were two anonymous women who were older than...
of Spain who died in 2004 aged 114 years and 81 days.
Awards
War medals and awards
World War One - Medal Abbreviations
-World War I - Medal and Medal Card Abbreviations:When a World War I medal was issued, it was issued with a Service Number, Rank, Name and Regiment. This information should be on every medal that was issued during the First World War....
. The Gold Medal of Saint-Omer was awarded to Allingham on 11 September 2004 when he was given the Freedom of the Town of Saint-Omer. He was also awarded France's highest military honour, the 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 which he was appointed a chevalier in 2003 and promoted to officier in 2009. The remaining two medals are British Campaign Medals from the First World War: the British War Medal
British War Medal
The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918...
and the Victory Medal
Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
The Victory Medal is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with decisions as taken at the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at...
; those two medals are colloquially known as "Mutt and Jeff". These two medals are replacement medals supplied by the Ministry of Defence after discovering at a recent cenotaph parade that Allingham's original campaign medals were destroyed during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
of the Second World War.
Honorary awards
As well as the above mentioned decorations, Allingham won several awards and honorary memberships. Examples include the Pride of Britain awardPride of Britain Awards
The Pride of Britain Awards is an annual event in the United Kingdom, honouring ordinary people who have acted bravely or extraordinarily in challenging situations....
, and a position as an honorary member of the Fleet Air Arm Association
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
.
Although not formally qualified he was recognised by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) who presented him with a Chartered Engineer
Chartered Engineer (UK)
In the United Kingdom, a Chartered Engineer is an engineer registered with Engineering Council UK . Contemporary Chartered Engineers are master's degree-qualified and have gained professional competencies through training and experience...
award on 19 December 2008.
Allingham had the following to say about the award:
This was followed on 22 May 2009 with the award of an honorary doctorate in engineering at the Southampton Solent University
Southampton Solent University
Southampton Solent University is a university of 17,000 students based in Southampton, United Kingdom. Its main campus is located on East Park Terrace near the city centre....
by the university's chancellor, the former First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
Alan West
Alan West, Baron West of Spithead
Admiral Alan William John West, Baron West of Spithead GCB DSC PC was, from June 2007 to May 2010, a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the British Home Office with responsibility for Security and a Security Advisor to Prime Minister Gordon Brown...
, for his contribution to Britain and its allies during two world wars and his continuing charity work, especially connected with veteran servicemen and women.
Death and funeral
Ovingdean
Ovingdean is a small formerly agricultural village which was absorbed into the borough of Brighton, East Sussex, UK, in 1928, and now forms part of the city of Brighton and Hove. It has expanded through the growth of residential streets on its eastern and southern sides, and now has a population of...
near Brighton, aged 113 years and 42 days.
Allingham's funeral took place at St Nicholas' Church
St Nicholas' Church, Brighton
The Church of Saint Nicholas of Myra, usually known as St. Nicholas Church, is an Anglican church in Brighton, England. It is both the original parish church of Brighton and the oldest surviving building in Brighton. It is located on high ground at the junction of Church Street and Dyke Road in...
, Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
at noon on 30 July 2009, with full military honours
Military funeral
A military funeral is a specially orchestrated funeral given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute,...
. His coffin was carried by three Royal Navy seamen and three RAF airmen. The service was preceded by a half-muffled quarter peal on the church's bells
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
, rung by local ringers and members of the RAF and Royal Navy change ringing
Change ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
associations. Among the mourners was the Duchess of Gloucester, representing the Queen, and Veteran's Minister Kevan Jones
Kevan Jones
Kevan David Jones is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for North Durham since 2001.-Early life:...
. Senior Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officers, including Vice-Admiral
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
Sir Adrian Johns
Adrian Johns
Vice Admiral Sir Adrian James Johns KCB, CBE, KStJ, ADC is the current Governor of Gibraltar and a former senior officer in the Royal Navy. His most senior naval posting was as Second Sea Lord from 2005 to 2008.-Career:...
and Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Peter Dye, represented the two services of which Allingham had been a member. Allingham's surviving daughter, Betty Hankin, 89, attended the funeral, with several members of her family. The funeral was followed by a flypast of five replica First World War aircraft; British and French buglers played the Last Post
Last Post
The "Last Post" can be either a B♭ bugle call within British Infantry regiments or an E♭ cavalry trumpet call in British Cavalry and Royal Regiment of Artillery used at Commonwealth military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have been killed in war.The two regimental traditions have...
and Reveille
Reveille
"Reveille" is a bugle call, trumpet call or pipes call most often associated with the military or summer camp; it is chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise...
; and a bell was tolled 113 times, once for each year of his life.
The BBC commissioned Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy
Carol Ann Duffy, CBE, FRSL is a Scottish poet and playwright. She is Professor of Contemporary Poetry at the Manchester Metropolitan University, and was appointed Britain's poet laureate in May 2009...
, the Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom
The Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, also referred to as the Poet Laureate, is the Poet Laureate appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Prime Minister...
, to write a poem to mark the deaths of Allingham and 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...
, who died one week after Allingham on 25 July 2009. The result, Last Post
Last Post (poem)
"Last Post" is a poem written by Carol Ann Duffy, the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, in 2009. It was commissioned by the BBC to mark the deaths of Henry Allingham and Harry Patch, two of the last three surviving British veterans from the First World War, and was first broadcast on the BBC...
, was read by Duffy on the BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme Today
Today programme
Today is BBC Radio 4's long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, now broadcast from 6.00 am to 9.00 am Monday to Friday, and 7.00 am to 9.00 am on Saturdays. It is also the most popular programme on Radio 4 and one of the BBC's most popular programmes across its radio networks...
on the day of Allingham's funeral. A tree was planted, and a commemorative plaque unveiled, at the Eastbourne Redoubt
Eastbourne Redoubt
Eastbourne Redoubt is a fort on what is now Royal Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex, England.-History:The Redoubt was built between 1804 and 1810 to support the associated Martello towers in defending against the threat of an invasion by Napoleon. It has defended the Eastbourne coast for nearly 200...
on 22 May 2010 to mark Allingham's residence in the town.
See also
- List of British supercentenarians
- Florence GreenFlorence GreenFlorence Beatrice Green is the last known living veteran of the First World War. She was a member of the Women's Royal Air Force.-Biography:...
, last surviving veteran of the World War I Women's Royal Air ForceWomen's Royal Air ForceThe 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... - National longevity recordholdersNational longevity recordholdersThis is a list of oldest people by nation. It includes the individual, for each given country, who are reported to have had the longest lifespan. Such records can only be determined to the extent that the given country's records are reliable. Comprehensive birth registration largely came into being...
- List of the verified oldest men
- List of veterans of World War I who died in 2009–11
External links
- BBC video on YouTube about Henry Allingham attending a WWII reunion
- Distinguished visitor brings WWI to life
- View the WW1 RNAS service record of Henry Allingham
- BBC News report on Henry Allingham
- British Air Services Memorial at Saint-Omer
- Mirror article: Secret of long life by WWI vet, 109
- Fly-past for Britain's oldest man
- Britain's oldest veteran recalls WWI
- Cricket's oldest fan
- Allingham's views on the poppy debate
- Report on Henry Allingham speaking at Hazelwick School on 16 March 2007
- MP3 of Henry Allingham speaking at Hazelwick School on 16 March 2007
- BBC News report about Henry Allingham's visit to a school in Tamworth on 18 April 2007
- BBC news article about Henry Allingham's birthday celebrations on 6 June 2007
- First World war veteran: "I will never forget". Video from The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
for Armistice Day 2008. - BBC news article about Henry Allingham's 113th birthday celebrations on 6 June 2009
- Obituary (BBC)
- Video interviews conducted with Henry Allingham – May 2009 (StoryVault)
- Obituary—Henry Allingham—First world war veteran and world's oldest man, The Guardian