Sydney Lucas
Encyclopedia
Syd Maurice Lucas (21 September 1900 – 4 November 2008) was, at age 108, one of three remaining British
Tommies of World War I
(along with Harry Patch
and Netherwood Hughes
), although the war ended before he was sent to fight. He was born in Leicester, England, and conscripted into the British Army
's Sherwood Foresters while a teenager in August 1918. He was also, along with his compatriots Claude Choules
and Bill Stone, and France
's Fernand Goux
, one of the four remaining veterans in the world to have served in both World Wars. Like Choules, he lived in Australia
, in Rosebud, Victoria
, the same state as the last Australia
n veteran John Campbell Ross
.
Lucas shipped to Australia in 1928. On 13 June 1940, he volunteered for the 2nd Australian Imperial Force, enlisting at Caulfield, Victoria
, with a locality of Coburg, Victoria
, both suburbs of Melbourne
, and listing Gladys Lucas as next of kin. Lucas was allotted service number VX26480 and posted to the 2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion. He was sent to join his battalion in Palestine
, but a bout of appendicitis
resulted in him having an operation on his gallbladder
on arrival, and so he was not medically fit to join the battalion when it sailed for Greece
in early April 1941. Lucas was transferred to prisoner-of-war
duties, guarding Italian
and German
prisoners of war being shipped to Australia on the RMS Queen Mary
. He was discharged from the Australian Military Forces on 7 November 1941, with the rank of private. His posting at discharge was Headquarters, Guard Battalion.
Lucas died on 4 November 2008 of natural causes, aged 108, one week before the 90th Anniversary since Amistice day.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Tommies of World War I
Tommy Atkins
Tommy Atkins is a term for a common soldier in the British Army that was already well established in the 19th century, but is particularly associated with World War I. It can be used as a term of reference, or as a form of address. German soldiers would call out to "Tommy" across no man's land if...
(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 Netherwood Hughes
Netherwood Hughes
Netherwood "Ned" Hughes was one of the last two Tommies who served the United Kingdom during the First World War, along with Harry Patch, although Patch is the only one to have seen action. Hughes was also one of three British veterans still living in the country, with Patch and Henry Allingham...
), although the war ended before he was sent to fight. He was born in Leicester, England, and conscripted into the British Army
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 Sherwood Foresters while a teenager in August 1918. He was also, along with his compatriots 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...
and Bill Stone, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's Fernand Goux
Fernand Goux
Fernand Goux was, at age 108, the penultimate French World War I veteran, with Pierre Picault being the last. Born in Sceaux-du-Gâtinais, Loiret, Goux was called up for service on April 19, 1918. Goux was deployed behind the front lines with the 85th Infantry Regiment, supplying the troops and...
, one of the four remaining veterans in the world to have served in both World Wars. Like Choules, he lived in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in Rosebud, Victoria
Rosebud, Victoria
Rosebud is a sea side town on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia located approximately 75 km southeast of the Melbourne City Centre. It is wedged between the lower slopes of Arthurs Seat, the shores of Port Phillip Bay and the plains of Boneo. Its Local Government Area is the...
, the same state as the last Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n veteran John Campbell Ross
John Campbell Ross
John Campbell Ross was at the time of his death Australia's oldest man and the last Australian veteran of the First World War ....
.
Lucas shipped to Australia in 1928. On 13 June 1940, he volunteered for the 2nd Australian Imperial Force, enlisting at Caulfield, Victoria
Caulfield, Victoria
Caulfield is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Glen Eira...
, with a locality of Coburg, Victoria
Coburg, Victoria
Coburg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland, although a handful of properties on Coburg's Eastern boundary are located in the City of Darebin...
, both suburbs of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and listing Gladys Lucas as next of kin. Lucas was allotted service number VX26480 and posted to the 2/1st Australian Machine Gun Battalion. He was sent to join his battalion in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, but a bout of appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
resulted in him having an operation on his gallbladder
Gallbladder
In vertebrates the gallbladder is a small organ that aids mainly in fat digestion and concentrates bile produced by the liver. In humans the loss of the gallbladder is usually easily tolerated....
on arrival, and so he was not medically fit to join the battalion when it sailed for Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in early April 1941. Lucas was transferred to prisoner-of-war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
duties, guarding Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and German
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...
prisoners of war being shipped to Australia on the RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary
RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed primarily in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard Line...
. He was discharged from the Australian Military Forces on 7 November 1941, with the rank of private. His posting at discharge was Headquarters, Guard Battalion.
Lucas died on 4 November 2008 of natural causes, aged 108, one week before the 90th Anniversary since Amistice day.
See also
- List of veterans of World War I who died in 2008
- BBC Obituary for Syd Lucas