RIP Henry Allingham

[Zak33]

I think many of you might have seen this old boy's name and face on TV and in magazines over the last few years.


Henry in 2005

Henry was born a long long time ago....in 1896.

Let's put this into context, as his book did (Kitchener's Last Volunteer). When he was born, people were still talking about Napoleon!
He was born when London looked like this


By the time the First World War cracked off, he was an engineer in the Royal Flying Corp. That's before the RAF existed at all.

He lived through WW2. Imagine being older than ME when World War Two started in 1939.
When he was nearly 40, London Picadilly Circus looked like this


I'm nearly 40. So was Henry Allingham, when Adolf surrounded Poland and smashed it up.

This a bloke who died today, in 2009

An amazing chap. Intelligent and wise, and sadly he's seen his daughters die of old age.. years ago! His children are old enough to be my grandparent.. and my grandparents have been dead for years. His grand children are old enough to be some of your grandparents!

Mind blowing, huh?

Well... say goodbye to him.. cos he's gone now.

Blue Skies old boy.. Blue Skies.
S!

Henry on film

[Flibb]

A true old soldier, and a life to be celebrated he definitely got the most out of his innings.

[Barrichello]

Nice tribute Zak.

Very sad news on hearing this

From the Battle of Jutland, through the horrors of the First World War to his important engineering work in the second World War. This man saw allot.

Read Kitchener's Last Volunteer last year. A amazing book and he was an amazing man. RIP

[Lucio]

Now you see, this is the kind of celebrity we should be mourning, not some half baked reality TV star.

[rox0r]

Something special has left the world, a true hero in every sense of the word.

If I could live my life and be even a fraction of the man that Henry Allingham was, I would be a proud and happy soul.

[ACE_RIMMER]

Wow, just watched some vids of him, what a life, totally agree with Lucio.

[santa claus]

The death of a gentleman who has witnessed more than I would ever wish to; and

A poignant and informative tribute on Hexus which evidences that some of Henry's qualities are still alive.

Thankfully, wisdom and manners have found their way to the following generation.

RIP Henry.
Long Live Zak33.

[chuckskull]

RIP Henry.

Now you see, this is the kind of celebrity we should be mourning, not some half baked reality TV star.

Spot on.

[Gerrard]

RIP Henry.

It's just mind boggling to think what he's seen and has happened during his lifetime. I suppose being young, it's kind of difficult to put it into perspective. Mind you, the changes that will happen in the next 100 years will probably be even more amazing.

[Mrs Hex]

RIP Henry, I can only hope others will be as good and as great as you.

[mycarsavw]

Something special has left the world, a true hero in every sense of the word.

If I could live my life and be even a fraction of the man that Henry Allingham was, I would be a proud and happy soul.

Beaten to it - fully agree - this man was and is a true Hero.

RIP Mr Allingham

[TAKTAK]

My Great Gran died a couple of weeks ago (a month ago today), aged a ripe old 104 , but she was ready to go, as she kept telling us, all her friends had died, her husband had died along time ago, and she had nothing left, she had to stop playing the organ at church when she was about 96 due to shingles, a role that she had filled since childhood in the same church all of her life.

In many senses Mr Allingham and my Great Gran were alike, they lived through world wars and saw civilisation as they new it change before them..

2009 is turning into a year of losing heroes.

RIP Henry Allingham
And RIP Great Gran, not only a mother, but a grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother

[sammyc]

He once told the BBC: "War's stupid. Nobody wins. You might as well talk first, you have to talk last anyway." The scenes he witnessed of soldiers waiting to go over the top at Ypres have stayed with him ever since.

"They would just stand there in 2ft of water in mud-filled trenches, waiting to go forward," he said. "They knew what was coming. It was pathetic to see those men like that. I don't think they have ever got the admiration and respect they deserved."

RIP Henry, respect and thanks, & to all those who served alongside him.

A mention for St Dunstan's (who cared for Mr Allingham since 2006) and the work they do.

[Funkstar]

My Great Gran died a couple of weeks ago (a month ago today), aged a ripe old 104

I'm sorry to hear that TAKTAK. My condolences to you and your family.

104 is a damned good inings though! Well done her. Being a Great Great grandmother is pretty cool too.


Henry Allingham and TAKTAK's great Gran, rest in peace

[666moe666]

Good night old boy.
RIP

[Jay]

Things he has lived to see.

1901 - Queen Victoria dies
1914 - WWI begins
1929 - The Wall Street Crash
1945 - First atomic bomb detonated
1953 - Everest scaled for first time
1963 - President Kennedy assassinated
1969 - Neil Armstrong walks on moon
1977 - Death of Elvis Presley
1989 - Fall of the Berlin Wall
1990 - Nelson Mandela freed from prison after 27 years
2008 - US elects first black president

(from the BBC web site)

Amazing....