Last combat survivor of WW1 dies in Australia at age 110
The spokesman of the Australian Defence Force who was close to the world war combat veteran confirms his demise.
He was declared the last survivor of the great World War I when another member died early this year. But British Claude Choules passed away in his home at Perth, Australia midnight morning Thursday. He was 110.
The spokesman of the Australian Defence Force who was close to the world war combat veteran confirms his demise, almost one month after he celebrated his 110th birthday on March 3.
"I can confirm that he has passed away. His family said he passed away at midnight this morning," Australian Defence Force spokesman Gary Booth, was quoted as telling the Agence France Presse.
His death according to Booth was the ‘end of an era’ as Choules is believed to be the last combat veteran to survive the first world war, and who had seen two great wars in his life.
"He was a living part of history and with his death, it's gone. There is no more link with active service personnel, “ Booth said, according to AFP.
"It's hard to imagine all the things he's seen in his life -- two World Wars, horse and cart to man on the moon."
The death of American Frank Buckles early this year made Choules the last veteran of the 70 million military personnel during WW1, that had left an estimated 37 million military soldiers dead and wounded.
He was officially acknowledged by the Order of the First World War, a group keeping track of WW veterans, as the second surviving member of the WW1 team, said AllVoices.com
Choules was born in England in 1901 and he served Britain’s Royal Navy in 1916 when he was 15. But it was only after ten years according to the AFP, when Choules, described as blind and almost deaf at the time of his death, moved to Australia in 1926 to join the Royal Australian Navy.
The Australian defence spokesman provided no details on the funeral, saying: "It's too early to talk about funeral arrangements."
Choules was survived by his daughters (2), grandchildren (13) ; great-grandchildren (26) and great-great-grandchildren (2).