Britain's oldest man reaches 112
- added June 6, 2008
- 5 responses
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- yai
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Britain's oldest man, thought to be one of three surviving UK World War I veterans, has celebrated his 112th birthday with a VIP lunch and fly-past. Henry Allingham is also the last surviving original member of the Royal Air Force - formed 90 years ago.
A Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, involving a Lancaster bomber, Spitfire and Hurricane, honoured the occasion. The party for Mr Allingham, from Ovingdean, near Brighton, was being held at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. A planned jump by the Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute Display Team had to be cancelled because of low cloud, but the team delivered a birthday card, signed by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, by Chinook helicopter.
Following the fly-past, a two-seater single-engine Tutor aircraft performed an acrobatic display above Cranwell college's main building for the assembled guests, including his great-great-grandchildren Erik Carlson, two, and four-month-old Lila Rose Gray.
Air Vice Marshal Peter Dye (retired) and Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns attended the event.
Mr Allingham was also presented with a birthday card and cake by children from Cranwell Primary School.
A Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, involving a Lancaster bomber, Spitfire and Hurricane, honoured the occasion. The party for Mr Allingham, from Ovingdean, near Brighton, was being held at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire. A planned jump by the Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute Display Team had to be cancelled because of low cloud, but the team delivered a birthday card, signed by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy, by Chinook helicopter.
Following the fly-past, a two-seater single-engine Tutor aircraft performed an acrobatic display above Cranwell college's main building for the assembled guests, including his great-great-grandchildren Erik Carlson, two, and four-month-old Lila Rose Gray.
Air Vice Marshal Peter Dye (retired) and Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns attended the event.
Mr Allingham was also presented with a birthday card and cake by children from Cranwell Primary School.
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Related piece of information : the last WWI veteran in France, Lazare Ponticelli, died this year at age 110.
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- frenchfly4
- 4 months ago
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A French newspaper interviewed Lazare Ponticelli, the last surviving French veteran of WW1. This is a link to the recorded interviews that appear with photo montages and subtitles (in French).
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- frenchfly4
- 4 months ago
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Congratulations to him! He doesn't look a day older than 80...
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- phillyharper
- 4 months ago
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His wife died 38 years ago, while his daughters both died in their 80s.
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That's amazing, he must have an interetsing perspective on today's current state of affairs.
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- chilipeppers675
- 4 months ago
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