Surviving veterans of World War I

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

Veterans, for the purposes of this list, have been agreed to be those that were members of the armed forces of one of the nations involved in the war, up to and including the date of the German armistice that ended the war on 11 November 1918. Other WWI-era veterans are listed separately. This policy may vary from the policy in actual use in some countries.

Puerto Rico resident Emiliano Mercado del Toro (21 August 1891 - 24 January 2007), who died aged 115, is the oldest recorded veteran, from any conflict, to have ever lived.

British veteran and 110-year-old Henry Allingham is currently the oldest living verified veteran.

If you think you have found a candidate, you should check both the discussion page and the archive, as there is a reasonable chance he or she will have been discussed and rejected before. Only candidates with official records of service are considered for addition to the lists.

Contents 1 Verified veterans of the First World War - 34 veterans 1.1 Living in Australia - 4 veterans 1.2 Living in Canada - 2 veterans 1.3 Living in France - 4 veterans 1.4 Living in Germany - 6 veterans 1.5 Living in Italy - 7 veterans 1.6 Living in Poland - 3 veterans 1.7 Living in the UK - 4 veterans 1.8 Living in the USA - 4 veterans 2 World War I-era veterans - 6 veterans 2.1 Living in Finland - 2 veterans 2.2 Living in the USA - 4 veterans 3 Unverified WWI veteran claims - 4 veterans 3.1 Living in France - 1 veteran 3.2 Living in the UK - 1 veteran 3.3 Living in the USA - 2 veterans 4 World totals (44) 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Verified veterans of the First World War - 34 veterans

[edit] Living in Australia - 4 veterans

Name	DOB	Age	Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Choules, Claude Stanley	1901-03-033 March 1901	106	British	British Royal Navy	Served from the age of 14; subsequently emigrated to Australia in 1920
Lucas, Sydney (Syd)	1900-09-2121 September 1900	106	British	British - 1st Sherwood Foresters	Did not see action (was still in training when the war ended)
Ross, John Campbell	1899-03-1111 March 1899	108	Australian	Australian	Wireless operator and last Australian digger
Young, William (Will)	1900-01-044 January 1900	107	British	Wireless operator for the Royal Flying Corps	Moved to Australia after World War II

[edit] Living in Canada - 2 veterans

The Canadian House of Commons has approved a state funeral for the last World War I veteran to die.^[1] This is to honour the 600,000 Canadians that fought in that war.

Name	DOB	Age	Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Powers, Gladys	1899-05-1010 May 1899	107	Canadian	British (first WAAF, then WRAF)	Served as a barracks waitress, now lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia [1]
Wilson, Dwight (Percy)	1901-02-2626 February 1901	106	Canadian	Canadian	Did not see action (was still in training), but is also a WWII veteran, and lives in Toronto[2][3]

[edit] Living in France - 4 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
de Cazenave, Louis	1897-10-1616 October 1897	109	French	French	Currently 2nd-oldest man in France at 109 (oldest is non-veteran)
Lagaurnadie, Louis	1899-06-1717 June 1899	107	French	French	Excluded in French government lists as it only counts those with more than three months of combat service
Ponticelli, Lazarre	1897-12-077 December 1897	109	Italian	French, Italian	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
Tuveri, Justin	1898-05-1515 May 1898	108	Italian	Italian	Born in Sardinia as "Giustino", moved to France in 1939 and only served in Italian army

[edit] Living in Germany - 6 veterans

Name	DOB	Age	Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Christmann, Rudolf	1900-01-1010 January 1900	107	German	German	Resides in Frankenthal (Rheinland-Pfalz)[4]
Kaiser, Albin	1899-12-1212 December 1899	107	German	German	Third oldest living German man: resides in Streufdorf (Thuringia)[5]
Kästner, Erich	1900-03-1010 March 1900	107	German	German
Künstler, Franz	1900-07-2424 July 1900	106	Hungary German	Austria-Hungary	Last living soldier of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire; served at the Italian front. Resides in Niederstetten (Baden-Württemberg)[6]
Remmert, Wilhelm	1899-11-1515 November 1899	107	German	German	Second oldest living German man
Solveen, Hermann	1899-02-2020 February 1899	108	German	German	Oldest living German man: resides in Darmstadt (Hessen)[7]

[edit] Living in Italy - 7 veterans

Name	DOB	Age	Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Agazzi, Alberto	1899-01-3030 January 1899	108	Italian	Italian
Bertolami, Carmelo	1900-12-088 December 1900	106	Italian	Italian	Excluded from Italian government lists as it only counts those with more than six months of service
Borroni, Delfino	1898-08-2323 August 1898	108	Italian	Italian
Carta, Giovanni Antonio	1899-12-2828 December 1899	107	Italian	Italian
Chiarello, Francesco Domenico	1898-11-055 November 1898	108	Italian	Italian
Costanzo, Pasquale	1899-05-2121 May 1899	107	Italian	Italian
Serioli, Battista	1900-11-2626 November 1900	106	Italian	Italian	Excluded from Italian government lists as it only counts those with more than six months of service

[edit] Living in Poland - 3 veterans

Name	DOB	Age	Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Kos, Józef	1900-09-2727 September 1900	106	Polish	German	Resides in Sierakowice, and enlisted in 1917[8][9][10]
Kowalski, Józef	1900-02-022 February 1900	107	Polish	Russian	Resides in Tursk, near Sulęcin, and fought with the Bolsheviks at the end of WWI[11]
Wycech, Stanisław	1902-06-2727 June 1902	104	Polish	Polish Military Organisation	Enlisted at 15 years of age in 1917 and stayed in the army, eventually reaching the rank of captain[12][13]

[edit] Living in the UK - 4 veterans

Name	DOB	Age	Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Allingham, Henry	1896-06-066 June 1896	110	British	British - RNAS (later RAF)	Was granted the Freedom of Eastbourne in April 2006, and is the oldest European man[14][15]
Mayne, Philip	1899-11-2626 November 1899	107	British	British - Royal Engineers	Last living British officer of WWI
Patch, Harry	1898-06-1717 June 1898	108	British	British - Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry	Last British soldier who fought in the trenches
Stone, William (Bill)	1900-09-2323 September 1900	106	British	British - Royal Navy	Did not see action (was still in training), but is also a WWII veteran

[edit] Living in the USA - 4 veterans

Name	DOB	Age	Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Babcock, John F.	1900-07-2323 July 1900	106	Canadian	Canadian	Completed basic training, but did not see action: was held back in reserves in England due to age; resides in Spokane, Washington
Buckles, Frank Woodruff	1901-02-011 February 1901	106	American	USA-Army	Resides in Charles Town, West Virginia[16][17][18]
Coffey, J. Russell	1898-09-011 September 1898	108	American	USA-Army	Did not see action (was still in training); resides in North Baltimore, Ohio[19]
Landis, Harry Richard	1899-12-1212 December 1899	107	American	USA-Army	Did not see action (was still in training); resides in Sun City Center, Florida

[edit] World War I-era veterans - 6 veterans

Listed here are those that joined the armed services after the Armistice date, 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 the US government, or served in a related conflict.

[edit] Living in Finland - 2 veterans

Name	DOB		Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Arvonen, Aarne Armas	1897	4 August	Finnish	Red Guards	Served in the Finnish Civil War (1918)
Rönnback, Lennart	1905	21 May	Finnish Swede	White Guards	Served in the Finnish Civil War (1918)

[edit] Living in the USA - 4 veterans

Name	DOB		Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Matthews, Floyd 'Skipper'	1903	3 February	American	US Navy	Resides in Florence, Alabama; enlisted a month before the Treaty of Versailles, and so, was still in training [2] [3] [4] [5]
Munger, Stillman Hiram	1902	25 November	American	US Navy	Resides in Ludlow, Massachusetts; enlisted in 1919[citation needed]
Peterson, Orin Manfred	1900	27 February	American	US Army (signed up for cavalry, did not serve overseas)	Resides in Spokane, Washington
Rex, Robley H.	1901	4 May	American	USA	Resides in Louisville, Kentucky; claims enlisted in 1918[20], but other sources cite 1919[21]

[edit] Unverified WWI veteran claims - 4 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.

[edit] Living in France - 1 veteran

Name	DOB		Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Name withheld	1899	?	French	French	Chose to remain anonymous [6], and cannot be fully verified without a name

[edit] Living in the UK - 1 veteran

Name	DOB		Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Bolaise, Violet	1901	?	British	British	Start date of service awaiting verification

[edit] Living in the USA - 2 veterans

Veteran status has been claimed by the men in question, but they are currently unsupported by physical evidence or independent research.

Name	DOB		Nationality	Force Served	Notes
Lincoln, Jim	1898	21 June	American	USA	Resides in Eugene, Oregon [7]
Olin, William	1904	28 August	American	USA	Claims to have enlisted at age thirteen, resides in Chicago

[edit] World totals (44)

• Verified claims of World War I and World War I Era: 40
  • World War I (Veterans who joined by Armistice Day): 34
    • Allies (including Italy): 26
    • Central Powers (including the Polish Military Organisation): 8
  • World War I Era (Veterans who joined after Armistice Day): 6

• Unverified claims: 4

[edit] See also

• List of notable last events
• Last surviving United States war veterans
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 1999
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 2000
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 2001
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 2002
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 2003
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 2004
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 2005
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 2006
• Veterans of the First World War who died in 2007

Lists of known WWI Veterans deaths by year v • d • e

1999 (240) | 2000 (166) | 2001 (117) | 2002 (112) | 2003 (103) | 2004 (113) | 2005 (82) | 2006 (49) | 2007 (18)

[edit] References

1. ^ "First World War veterans don't want state funeral", CBC News, 2007-01-02. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
2. ^ Brian Gray (2006-11-02). WWI Vet, 105, still singing. Toronto Sun. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
3. ^ Dwight Wilson, 105. Globe and Mail (2006-11-11). Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
4. ^ http://rheinpfalz.de/ (January 2007).
5. ^ Unknown (2007-01-13). Albin Kaiser 107th birthday. Landkreis Hildburghausen. Retrieved on 2007-02-05.
6. ^ Nadine Walzenbach (2006-09-11). Franz Künstler - oldest castle guide. Fränkische Nachrichten. Retrieved on 2007-02-12.
7. ^ Wikipedia (2007-02-13). Oldest People. Wikipedia. Retrieved on 2007-02-13.
8. ^ Józef Kos ukończył 104 lata (Polish). Wiadomości Sierakowickie. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
9. ^ Mnie boli Polska – mówi Józef Kos (Polish). Wiadomości Sierakowickie. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
10. ^ Józef Kos ukończył 106 lat! (Polish). Wiadomości Sierakowickie. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
11. ^ Pan Józef ma 107 lat i czuje się znakomicie (Polish). Wirtualna Polska. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
12. ^ Wyjątkowy dzień (Polish). Kombatant. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
13. ^ STANISŁAW WYCECH (Polish). Serwis Informacyjny Urzędu Miasta i Gminy w Radzyminie. Retrieved on 2007-03-28.
14. ^ David Smith (2006-10-29). Great War foes embrace as friends. The Observer. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
15. ^ Julie Mccaffrey (2006-10-30). Old Enemies.. New Friends. Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
16. ^ Oldest Living Heroes Remembered. CBS News (2006-11-11). Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
17. ^ Paul Duggan (2006-11-12). 105-year-old a veteran’s veteran. The News Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
18. ^ Dean Reynolds and Elizabeth Stuart (2006-12-02). Last WWI Veterans Get Their Due. ABC News. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
19. ^ David Giffels (2006-09-17). WWI veteran, at 108, is one of the few. Beacon Journal. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
20. ^ Ellen R. Stapleton (2003-11-09). Ky.'s oldest veteran, 102, still devoted to service. The Enquirer. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
21. ^ WWI Vets Gallery. CNN. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.

[edit] External links

• Translated article & interview with Delfino Borroni, Italian veteran
• The Great War Society
• The Western Front Association - UK branch
• The Western Front Association - US branch
• The Great War Primary Documents Archive
• Public Radio Exchange (PRX) Walter Cronkite (himself a spry 90-year-old, a spring chicken compared to the ones he questioned) interviews some last surviving veterans of World War I
• Article about the remaining US veterans
• Table of the remaining veterans from this article