Mr. Harry Patch - The Last Tommy

[philipsheldon]

I wanted to make a posting on the Forum in memory of the late Mr. Harry Patch, the 111 year old Great War veteran, who died on Saturday 25th July 2009.

He was ( I believe ) the last British survivor of the Great War & the last of the men who fought in the trenches on the Western Front. Anyone that wants a captivating book at bedtime, look up " The Last Tommy ". It'a all about Mr. Patch & his life story. A brilliant book that I can recommend.

Framing woes mean nothing at all when you read what those brave old soldiers had to put up with. So, when life gets you down, think of old Mr. Patch.

God bless you, Mr. Patch.

Phil Sheldon.

[Roboframer]

Well said; it's true what Simon Weston said too - living memory has now turned in to history.

[Bill Henry]

Mr. Patch was mentioned over here, too. They aired an interview he did several years ago on one of the major news programs.

It is amazing and gratifying what our ancestors went through and did for us.

[framejunkie]

It is amazing and gratifying what our ancestors went through and did for us.

Sometimes i wonder - if they knew what we'd turn out like would they have bothered?

RIP Harry Patch
RIP Henry Allingham

Who would have thought that being over 110 years old would become unfashionable so quickly?

Amazing to think that they both outlived many of their brothers in arms(and enemies) by over 90 years, and lived during 3 different centuries

[Not your average framer]

I have always been grateful for those who are willing to put themselves in harms way, so that we can live in safety and freedom, not having to be in harms way ourselves. The same applies to those young men who are now dying in Afganistan, to stop the Taliban from gaining control, destabilising their neighbour Pakistan and getting their hands on Pakistan's atomic weapons.

The price of our freedom and safety is still high today. It hasn't been helped by Gordon Brown cancelling orders for new helicoptors while he was chancellor, so that we no longer have enough modern helicopters to fight this kind of war as our forces would like to.

Unfortunately helicoptors have to be decomissioned when their airframe flying hours are used up and a war like this one is using up the remaining flying hours of the limited number we have left, but the replacements were cancelled to save money so our brave young men have to travel in snatch Landrovers, which offer so little protection.

[gesso]

My Grandfather's family like so many others sustained a great loss, losing both brothers & his father in the First war.
He being just too young to fight later became a professional soldier spending many years in India then in the war fighting in Burma.

I remember he had a serious smoking habit (80 Capstan full strength a day). Cancer finally caught up with him late December 80.
He like so many never talked about his time serving for his country but in the last few days it was obvious the old war memories had come back.
It was so upsetting to see him hallucinate so badly. He finally passed away Christmas night in our house. At the moment I'm researching all four service histories to make sure the price they paid in both wars will be passed down and not forgotten

[philipsheldon]

Good Man, Gesso.

To research the War records of any ancestor that fought, in any campaign, really is fascinating. If you're lucky enough to find the service records for any WW1 soldiers ( millions got destroyed in German bombing raids in WW2 in the London building that they were stored in ), they really do open up an unknown World. Even if you know World history, nothing brings family history closer to you than reading about brave actions, deaths, awards from ones own family.

I'm only 36 ( yes, true), but my Grandfather & 2 of his brothers fought in WW1. One never came back...

So to read regimental War diaries, death cirtificates, to see the Belgium War graves, you name it, the War seems like yesterday.

Good luck with your research. It never ends !

Phil.

[gesso]

Cheers phil
but come on 36?

I remember you being at A&T way back in 1990!

[danchip1]

If anyone wants to get an idea of how it was in the trenches in northern france in the Great war, i would recommend the book, "Birdsong" by Sebastian Faulks, unbelievable...

[LeFrisp]

Framing is not my primary occupation, I am A police officer in the City of Wells and had the privilege of Saluting the cortege as it entered and departed Wells Cathedral. I have 20 years service and have been part of several significant events, none of which come close to that special day.
Mr Patch was resident next to our station but I never had occasion to meet the man. It was significant that as the last survivor of that bloody conflict his final message was peace and reconciliation, a message for us all.
At the time of his death he was the oldest Man in Europe