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List of surviving veterans of World War I

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Redpepper1952 (talk | contribs) at 19:28, 5 January 2008 (Dr. Erich Kastner, Germany's Last Known WW 1 Veteran Dies On New Years Day). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The following is a list of known surviving veterans of the First World War (July 28, 1914–November 11, 1918). The total number of participating personnel is unknown, but there were an estimated nine million military casualties during the conflict.

Veterans, for this purpose, are defined as people who were members of the armed forces of one of the combatant nations up to and including the date of the Armistice. Other WWI-era veterans are listed separately. This policy may vary from the policy in actual use in some countries.

111-year-old British WWI veteran Henry Allingham, born June 6, 1896, is currently the oldest living verified veteran. Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico (August 21, 1891–January 24, 2007), who died aged 115, is the oldest authenticated veteran, from any conflict, to have ever lived.

Verified veterans of the First World War—17 veterans

Living in Australia—3 veterans

Name DOB Age Nationality Force served Notes
Choules, Claude Stanley Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 123 British Royal Navy Joined the Royal Navy in 1916; subsequently emigrated to Australia in 1920 and served with Royal Australian Navy in the Second World War.[1][2]
Lucas, Sydney (Syd) Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 123 British British Army—1st Sherwood Foresters Did not see action because he was still in training when the war ended. Moved to Australia in 1928 and served in the Australian Army in WWII.[3]
Ross, John Campbell Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 125 Australian Australian Army Wireless operator and last Australian digger.[4]

Living in Canada—1 veteran

Wikinews has related news:

The Canadian House of Commons has approved a state funeral for the last World War I veteran to have served in the Canadian forces to die.[5] This is to honour the 600,000 Canadians that fought in that war. See also John Babcock, who is listed under veterans living in the United States.

Name DOB Age Nationality Force served Notes|
Powers, Gladys Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 125 British Firstly WAAF, then WRAF Served as a barracks waitress, now lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and is the last known female veteran of any country.[6]

Living in France—3 veterans

The French government has approved a state funeral for the last official World War I French veteran to die.

Name DOB Age Nationality Force served Notes
Cambefort, Raymond Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 124 French French Army Excluded from French government lists as it only counts those with more than three months of combat service. Signed up on August 28, 1918.
de Cazenave, Louis Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 126 French French Army One of the last trench veterans of WWI. Currently oldest man in France at 110.[7]
Ponticelli, Lazarre Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 126 Italian French Army, Italian Army Born in Piacenza as "Lazzaro", moved to France in 1907, joined French Foreign Legion in 1914 at age 16, served in French army first and later in Italian army.[7]


Living in Italy—2 veterans

Name DOB Age Nationality Force served Notes
Borroni, Delfino Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 125 Italian Italian Army Signed up in January 1917. Lives in Castano Primo, near Milan.[8]
Chiarello, Francesco Domenico Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 125 Italian Italian Army Called up in 1918. Also fought in WWII. Lives in Cirò Marina, Calabria.[9]

Living in Poland—1 veteran

Name DOB Age Nationality Force served Notes
Wycech, Stanisław Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 122 Polish Polish Military Organisation Enlisted 1917. In 1918 fought against Germans and in 1920 against Bolsheviks. Reached the rank of captain. Youngest living WWI veteran whose service has been verified. Resides in Warsaw.[10][11][12][13][14][15]

Living in Turkey—1 veteran

Name DOB Age Nationality Force served Notes
Satar, Yakup Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 126 Turkish Ottoman Army Enlisted in 1915. Taken prisoner in 1917 in Baghdad campaign by the British,[16] and is thought to be the last soldier of the Central Powers.

Living in the UK—3 veterans

Her Majesty's Government approved on June 27, 2006 a National Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey to take place after the passing of the last known WWI veteran.[17]

Name DOB Age Nationality Force served Notes
Allingham, Henry Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 128 British RNAS (later RAF) The last known survivor of the Battle of Jutland. Was granted the Freedom of Eastbourne in April 2006, and is the oldest European man[18][19]
Patch, Harry Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 126 British British Army—Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Last British soldier who fought in the trenches.[20][21][22]
Stone, William (Bill) Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 123 British Royal Navy Did not see action (was still in training), but is also a WWII veteran.[23]

Living in the USA—3 veterans

Name DOB Age Nationality Force served Notes
Babcock, John F. Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 124 Canadian Canadian Army Completed basic training, but did not see action: was held back in reserves in England due to age; moved to US in 1924 and resides in Spokane, Washington[24]
Buckles, Frank Woodruff Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 123 American United States Army Last US veteran to finish training, and serve overseas, Resides in Charles Town, West Virginia[25][26][27]
Landis, Harry Richard Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 124 American US Army Did not see action (was still in training); resides in Sun City Center, Florida[28]

World War I-era veterans—6 veterans

Listed here are those that joined the armed services after the Armistice date but before the Treaty of Versailles, or where there is debate on their join-date, or whose military service is sometimes viewed as outside the scope of "WWI", but are considered WWI-era vets by the press or by their respective governments, or served in a related conflict.

Living in Finland—1 veteran

Name DOB Age Nationality Force Served Notes
Arvonen, Aarne Armas Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 127 Finnish Red Guards Served in the Finnish Civil War (1918). Currently the oldest person in Finland. In 1914 was recruited to help build fortifications in St. Petersburg, Russia[29][30]

Living in Italy—1 veteran

Name DOB Age Nationality Force Served Notes
Bisaro, Giobatta Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 123 Italian Italian Army Enlisted just after the end of the war. Lives in Dignano (Friuli, North Eastern Italy), which was until 1918 part of the Austro Hungarian Empire.[31]

Living in Poland—1 veteran

Name DOB Age Nationality Force Served Notes
Kowalski, Józef Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 124 Polish Polish Army Resides in Tursk, near Sulęcin, and fought against the Bolsheviks at the end of WWI.[32][33]

Living in the UK—1 veteran

Name DOB Age Nationality Force Served Notes
Taggart, Robert (Bob) Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 124 British Royal Navy Enlisted just after the end of the war. Scotland's oldest man.[34]

Living in the USA—2 veterans

Name DOB Age Nationality Force Served Notes
Matthews, Floyd 'Skipper' Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 121 American United States Navy Resides in Florence, Alabama; enlisted a month before the Treaty of Versailles, and so was still in training [35][36]
Rex, Robley H. Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 123 American US Army Resides in Louisville, Kentucky; claims enlisted in 1918, but other sources cite 1919[37][38]

Unverified WWI veteran claims—2 veterans

These are claims that were included in the press, but have not been verified by a government-sanctioned body or actual records located. To be a 'claim', there must be at least a citation. In both cases veteran status has been claimed by the men in question, but they are currently unsupported by physical evidence or independent research.

Living in the USA—2 veterans

Name DOB Age Nationality Force Served Notes
Lincoln, Jim Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 126 American US Army Resides in Eugene, Oregon[39]
Olin, William Error in Template:Date table sorting: days must be an integer between 1 and 31 119 American US Army Claims to have enlisted at age thirteen, resides in Chicago[40]

World totals—25 veterans

  • Verified claims of World War I and World War I Era: 23
    • World War I (Veterans who joined by Armistice Day): 17
      • Allies: 16
      • Central Powers: 1
    • World War I Era: 6
  • Unverified claims: 2

See also

References

  1. ^ "World War I Veteran at UWA Art Show Opening". UWA Public Affairs. 2006-02-08. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Booth, Gary (2002-05-13). "500 kms by bike to demolish Albany". Navy News. Retrieved 2007-07-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ Shtargot, Sasha (2005-04-21). "Veteran of two armies to ride in Chevy". The Age. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Last Aussie digger to fight in WWI dies". The Age. 2005-10-18. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "First World War veterans don't want state funeral". CBC News. 2007-01-02. Retrieved 2007-02-05. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Leslie, Tricia (2006-05-09). "Only getting better at 107". Abbotsford Times. Retrieved 2007-04-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b Hopquin, Benoît (2007-03-05). "Les Ders Des Ders" (in French). Le Monde. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  8. ^ D'Adamo, Stefano (2004-11-04). "At 106 Years Old, an Account of the Great War" (in Italian). Varesenews. Retrieved 2007-05-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Siciliani, Patrizia (2005-11-05). "The Pride of Being 107 Years Old" (in Italian). Retrieved 2007-05-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "STANISŁAW WYCECH" (in Polish). Serwis Informacyjny Urzędu Miasta i Gminy w Radzyminie. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
  11. ^ "Wyjątkowy dzień" (PDF) (in Polish). Kombatant. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
  12. ^ "Dwieście lat niech żyje nam" (in Polish). Wieści Podwarszawskie. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
  13. ^ "Pogonił bolszewików" (in Polish). Gazeta.ie. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
  14. ^ "Kapitan Stanisław Wycech, Weteran wojny polsko-bolszewickiej 1920 roku, obchodzi 105 urodziny" (in Polish). Serwis Informacyjny Urzędu Miasta i Gminy w Radzyminie. Retrieved 2007-07-01.
  15. ^ Mathieu, Frédéric, Ders Des Ders {{citation}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)[1]
  16. ^ "Yukub Satar" (in French). Ders Des Ders. Retrieved 2007-07-28.
  17. ^ "Nation to commemorate passing of First World War generation". Ministry of Defence. 2006-06-27. Retrieved 2007-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ Smith, David (2006-10-29). "Great War foes embrace as friends". The Observer. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ Mccaffrey, Julie (2006-10-30). "Old Enemies.. New Friends". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "WWI veteran celebrates 108 years". BBC Online News. 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Veteran, 109, revisits WWI trench". BBC Online News. 2007-07-29. Retrieved 2007-07-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Patch, Harry (2007). The Last Fighting Tommy. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-0-7475-9115-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ "Profile of William Frederick Stone". HMS Newfoundland Association. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  24. ^ "Lest We Forget". CBC News. 2006-11-06. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ "Oldest Living Heroes Remembered". CBS News. 2006-11-11. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ Duggan, Paul (2006-11-12). "105-year-old a veteran's veteran". The News Tribune. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ Dean Reynolds and Elizabeth Stuart (2006-12-02). "Last WWI Veterans Get Their Due". ABC News. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ Joyner, James (2007-04-03). "Last Navy and Woman WWI Vets Die, Only Three Remain". Outside the Beltway. Retrieved 2007-04-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ Seppälä, Anu (1999-12-24). "Arska, entering his third century and NOT "growing old gracefully"". Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ Kauppinen, Perttu (2002-08-06). "At age 105, Aarne Arvonen still knows how to enjoy life". Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ "Articoli di Giornale". 2005-09-09. Retrieved 2007-09-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ "Pan Józef ma 107 lat i czuje się znakomicie" (in Polish). Wirtualna Polska. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  33. ^ "02.02.2007 r.–107 urodziny Józefa Kowalskiego" (in Polish). Dom Pomocy Społecznej w Tursku. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
  34. ^ Mcleod, Keith (2006-06-29). "Bob the Elder". The Daily Record. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ Associated Press (2007-01-03). "States Oldest Veteran Recalls Navy Years". The Decatur Daily. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Jaques, Bob (2007-02-15). "Happy 104th Birthday!". Hartselle Enquirer. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ Stapleton, Ellen R. (2003-11-09). "Ky.'s oldest veteran, 102, still devoted to service". The Enquirer. Retrieved 2007-01-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ Associated Press. "WWI Vets Gallery". CNN. Retrieved 2007-01-22.
  39. ^ Moran, Jack (2006-06-28). "108 and Counting". The Register-Guard. Retrieved 2007-05-30. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  40. ^ "World War 1 veteran ponders 102 years". 2006-08-31. Retrieved 2007-08-20.

Dr. Erich Kastner Germany's Last WW1 Veteran Dies On New's Years Day 2008 http://img168. imageshack.us/img168/2530/file5573fl9.jpg

Template:WWIVeteransDeathLists

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