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 war.
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 - 23 veterans
Living in Australia - 3 veterans
Living in Canada - 1 veteran
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.
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
Cambefort, Raymond
Error in Template:Date table sorting : days must be an integer between 1 and 31
124
French
French
Excluded from French government lists as it only counts those with more than three months of combat service. Signed up on August 28, 1918.[7]
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 2nd-oldest man in France at 109 (oldest is non-veteran).[8]
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.[9]
Tuveri, Justin
Error in Template:Date table sorting : days must be an integer between 1 and 31
126
Italian
Italian Army
Born in Sardinia as "Giustino", moved to France in 1920.[10]
Living in Germany - 2 veterans
Living in Italy - 4 veterans
Living in Poland - 1 veteran
Living in Turkey - 1 veteran
Living in the UK - 3 veterans
Her Majesty's Government approved on June 27 , 2006 a National Memorial Service at Westminister Abbey to take place after the passing of the last known WWI veteran. [24]
Living in the USA - 4 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
123
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 [30]
Buckles, Frank Woodruff
Error in Template:Date table sorting : days must be an integer between 1 and 31
123
American
USA-Army
Last (US Veteran) to finish training, and serve overseas, Resides in Charles Town, West Virginia [31] [32] [33]
Coffey, J. Russell
Error in Template:Date table sorting : days must be an integer between 1 and 31
125
American
USA-Army
Enlisted Oct 19 1918. Did not see action (was still in training); resides in North Baltimore, Ohio [34] [35]
Landis, Harry Richard
Error in Template:Date table sorting : days must be an integer between 1 and 31
124
American
USA-Army
Did not see action (was still in training); resides in Sun City Center, Florida [36]
World War I-era veterans - 7 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.
Living in Finland - 2 veterans
Living in the UK - 1 veteran
Name
DOB
Nationality
Force Served
Notes
Taggart, Robert (Bob)
1900
28 June
British
Royal Navy
Enlisted just after the end of the war. Scotland's oldest man.[40]
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 [41] [42]
Munger, Stillman Hiram
1902
25 November
American
US Navy
Resides in Ludlow, Massachusetts ; enlisted in 1920[43]
Peterson, Orin Manfred
1900
27 February
American
US Army (signed up for cavalry, did not serve overseas)
Resides in Spokane, Washington; enlisted in 1919 (according to a letter from his nephew)
Rex, Robley H.
1901
4 May
American
USA
Resides in Louisville, Kentucky ; claims enlisted in 1918[44] , but other sources cite 1919[45]
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. In the case of the two Americans, veteran status has been claimed by the men in question, but they are currently unsupported by physical evidence or independent research.
Living in France - 1 veteran
Name
DOB
Nationality
Force Served
Notes
Name withheld
1899
23 March
French
French
Chose to remain anonymous, and cannot be fully verified without a name.[46]
Living in Poland - 1 veteran
Name
DOB
Nationality
Force Served
Notes
Kowalski, Józef
1900
February 2
Polish
?
Resides in Tursk, near Sulęcin, and fought against the Bolsheviks at the end of WWI.[47] [48] Possible WWI service with either Austria-Hungary or Imperial Russia, but further verification required.
Living in the USA - 2 veterans
World totals - 34 veterans
Verified claims of World War I and World War I Era: 30
World War I (Veterans who joined by Armistice Day): 23
Allies : 20
Central Powers: 3
World War I Era: 7
Unverified claims: 4
See also
Template:WWIVeteransDeathLists
References
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^ "Last Aussie digger to fight in WWI dies" . The Age. 2005-10-18 . Retrieved 2007-05-30 .
^ "First World War veterans don't want state funeral" . CBC News. 2007-01-02 . Retrieved 2007-02-05 .
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^ "Worlds Oldest People Forum (Membership Required)" (in French). 2007-05-29 . Retrieved 2007-05-29 .
^ Hopquin, Benoît (2007-03-05 ). "Les Ders Des Ders" (in French). Le Monde. Retrieved 2007-05-30 .
^ Hopquin, Benoît (2007-03-05 ). "Les Ders Des Ders" (in French). Le Monde. Retrieved 2007-05-30 .
^ Hopquin, Benoît (2007-03-05 ). "Les Ders Des Ders" (in French). Le Monde. Retrieved 2007-05-30 .
^ "Ders des Ders" (in French). Retrieved 2007-05-30 .
^ Walzenbach, Nadine (2006-09-11 ). "Franz Künstler - oldest castle guide" . Fränkische Nachrichten. Retrieved 2007-02-12 . ;
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^ Siciliani, Patrizia (2005-11-05 ). "The Pride of Being 107 Years Old" (in Italian). Retrieved 2007-05-21 .
^ "102 Years Old: Party in the Hall of Marasino for the Dean, Battista Serioli" (in Italian). Valcamonica and Sebino News. 2002-12-03 . Retrieved 2007-05-21 .
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^ "Pogonił bolszewików" (in Polish). Gazeta.ie. Retrieved 2007-04-12 .
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^ "Yukub Satar" (in French). Ders Ders Ders. Retrieved 2007-07-28 .
^ "Nation to commemorate passing of First World War generation" . Ministry of Defence. 2006-06-27 . Retrieved 2007-06-09 .
^ Smith, David (2006-10-29 ). "Great War foes embrace as friends" . The Observer. Retrieved 2007-01-22 .
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^ "Veteran, 109, revisits WWI trench" . BBC Online News. 2007-07-29 . Retrieved 2007-07-29 .
^ "Profile of William Frederick Stone" . HMS Newfoundland Association. Retrieved 2007-05-30 .
^ "Lest We Forget" . CBC News. 2006-11-06 . Retrieved 2007-05-30 .
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^ Duggan, Paul (2006-11-12 ). "105-year-old a veteran's veteran" . The News Tribune. Retrieved 2007-01-22 .
^ Dean Reynolds and Elizabeth Stuart (2006-12-02 ). "Last WWI Veterans Get Their Due" . ABC News. Retrieved 2007-01-22 .
^ Giffels, David (2006-09-17 ). "WWI veteran, at 108, is one of the few" . Beacon Journal. Retrieved 2007-01-22 .
^ McCarty, Mary (2007-04-06 ). "108 year old veteran recalls fallen comrades" . Dayton Daily News. Retrieved 2007-04-11 .
^ Joyner, James (2007-04-03 ). "Last Navy and Woman WWI Vets Die, Only Three Remain" . Outside the Beltway. Retrieved 2007-04-11 .
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^ "Lennart Rönnback" . Vasabladet.
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^ Moran, Jack (2006-06-28 ). "108 and Counting" . The Register-Guard. Retrieved 2007-05-30 .
External links
Theatres
Principal participants
Timeline
Pre-War conflicts Prelude 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 Co-belligerent conflicts Post-War conflicts
Aspects