Royal Tributes to World War One Veteran and the world’s oldest man – Henry Allingham
Click to see the article at the BBC website
In the past week the last two surviving World War One veterans living in Britain have both passed away. Henry Allingham (image) died aged 113 on 18th July and a week later the last veteran Harry Patch also passed away. Earlier this year Bill Stone another WW1 veteran died. To mark the passing of the last of the Great War veterans a memorial service is planned for later in the year to be held at Westminster Abbey with the Queen as a possible guest. It will be a chance for the British public to openly thank all veterans in WW1 who gave so much to their country.
Henry Allingham was probably the most recognised of the three veterans and frequently attended events relating to the Great War. Not only was he the world’s oldest man but he was also the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland and a founder member of the RAF. Born in 1896 during Queen Victoria’s regin he lived through events of the past century that most of us only read about. He lived during the reigns of five British monarchs and witnessed the abdication of Edward VIII.
The Queen paid tribute to Mr Allingham saying he was “one of the generation who sacrificed so much for us all”. image – meeting the Queen prior to attending at garden party at Buckingham Palace. Whilst Prince Charles also remarked that about the sacrifice of WW1 veterans as “belonging to that incredible generation who did so much for their country”. image – Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall marking the 90th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. Henry Allingham had meet with a number of Royals on various occasions. The Duchess of Gloucester in her role as President of World War One Veterans Association was the closest to Allingham. On number of occasions, such as the opening of a Battle of Jutland exhibition in 2006 at the HMS Belfast (image) and at veteran association events, the Duchess meet with Henry. She also was the only Royal to attend the 90th anniversary memorial event on 11th November 2008 at the Cenotaph which saw all three veterans lay wreaths. image , image It was therefore fitting that it was the Duchess who on Thursday attended Henry’s funeral in Brighton.
Click here for an article about Henry Allingham’s funeral.
The Death of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother seven years ago did not come as a shock. Her late Majesty was in her 102nd year and had been in declining health since the death of her Younger Daughter Her late Royal Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon in February. Queen Elizabeth’s funeral took place Seven years ago today amid much pomp and ceremony in one of the largest Funerals and gatherings of foreign Crowned Heads since the death of her beloved husband King George VI of Blessed and Glorious Memory some 50 years before.
On February 17th count Caspar von Oeynhausen
