The UK's oldest man and one of Britain's two surviving WWI veterans has turned 113. Henry Allingham joined the Royal Navy Air Service in September 1915 before transferring to the RAF in April 1918. The Royal Navy hosted a birthday party on HMS President in London for his family, close friends and members of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Mr Allingham, who lives in East Sussex, said he was looking forward to being a teenager again. The birthday is another landmark for a man who is the last surviving founder member of the RAF and whose life has spanned three centuries and six monarchs.
From the BBC News Website
Three cheers for Mr Allingham! In a country where many MPs fiddle expenses to the cost of the taxpayer, the cult of 'celebrity' is king, respect is conspicuous by its absence and moral decline is in acceleration, here is a man who has served his country in two world wars and has done the nation proud. I particularly liked his comment that he was looking forward to being a teenager again. With five grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, fourteen great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild it must cost him a bloody fortune.
As well as being Britain's oldest man, Mr Allingham is the only person still alive to remember Hibernian winning the Scottish Cup and Adullamite opening his wallet...
Happy Birthday, Sir - Britain salutes you!
4 comments:
A fact that the cantankerous old coot will surely dispute! Oh my, I really am a poet who doesn't know it (coot-dispute). TOO COOL!!! Sometimes I really amaze myself.
This guy is absolutly neat!! I wish I could meet him. :D
(hmmm. Adullamite, what is it? Must look it up)
Good for him!!!!! I have a friend who's the sharpest and coolest 99 1/2 year old I could ever hope to meet. I'm helping him plan his 100th birthday bash in February-- But he's waiting for the UCLA basketball schedule to be set before he picks the party night. He has season tickets and doesn't want to miss a game :-) I wish I had his energy!
Reading his book leaves you with the impression he was a guy you could easily like.
And he said at the time Hibs 1902 win was a 'flash in the pan.'
What's a wallet?
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