The last British survivor of the World War I trenches, Harry Patch, has died at the age of 111.

Mr Patch was conscripted into the Army aged 18 and fought in the Battle of Passchendaele at Ypres in 1917 in which more than 70,000 British soldiers died.

He was raised in Coombe Down, near Bath, and had been living at a care home in Wells, Somerset.

The oldest WWI veteran Henry Allingham, who served in the Royal Navy and the RAF, died at the age of 113 a week ago.

His biographer Richard Emden said Mr Patch passed away at 0850 BST on Saturday morning.

A statement from the Fletcher House care home said: "It is with much sadness that we must announce the death of Mr Harry Patch on 25 July at the age of 111.

"Funeral arrangements are being made in accordance with Mr Patch's wishes, and we wish to extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and the residents and staff of Fletcher House."

21-gun salute for the Patchmeister.  8)

After watching a news report on the BBC I feeel sad for this day in history that the First World War will soon be no longer in living memory.

After watching a news report on the BBC I feeel sad for this day in history that the First World War will soon be no longer in living memory.


I've read that there's still a 108 year old man living in Australia who fought in the First World War.

I've read that there's still a 108 year old man living in Australia who fought in the First World War.
Please see this topic

The First World War soon to become history

It is Claude Stanley Choules you are thinking of.

Please see this topic

The First World War soon to become history

It is Claude Stanley Choules you are thinking of.


So there's only five remaining (that we know of).

Well, you know it's gonna end some day. :(

So there's only five remaining (that we know of).

Well, you know it's gonna end some day. :(
Exactly, the Great War will be no longer in living memory, a truly sad day.

That is sad.  He grew up in an era before cars and when electricity was dominating.  I also agree that he was probably one of the last people with direct memories of WWI.

Old Harry Probably realized the astronomical odds of beating Allingham, so he decided to pack it in. 

Imagine the changes you see in 111-year lifespan?  When Patch was a child, there were a few funny "horseless carriages" and no paved roads, for instance....

That is sad.  He grew up in an era before cars and when electricity was dominating.  I also agree that he was probably one of the last people with direct memories of WWI.


Wow these guys really are/were old.

My uncle dropped out of college at the outbreak of WW 1, to open a machine shop, and made a flipping fortune.  Then he built a barge repair facility in Picksburgh right before the Flood of '36, and made another fortune.  He was 50 when he died in 1946 or TB, but had lived a pretty full life. (His luck had run out, he died pretty much on the eve of the cure for TB)    :-\\

Seeing these 100+ year olds still getting on as well as they did is pretty cool...  :)

After watching a news report on the BBC I feeel sad for this day in history that the First World War will soon be no longer in living memory.


I feel sad too that it's becoming less of a living memory.

The funeral for Harry Patch will start shortly in Wells, Somerset.

Wow I didn't realize anyone from WWI was still alive. . . RIP Harry

Wow I didn't realize anyone from WWI was still alive. . . RIP Harry
There are only around three left now, I did produce a list in another topic on this board.