Farewell to Henry, 113.HUNDREDS of people were expected to line the streets today to bid farewell to the late First World War veteran and the world's oldest man Henry Allingham Henry William Allingham (born June 6, 1896) has been the oldest surviving British veteran of the First World War since July 20, 2003 upon the death of then 108-year-old Jack Davis. . His funeral cortege was due to leave St Dunstan's care home for blind ex-service personnel in Ovingdean, near Brighton, East Sussex East Sussex, county (1991 pop. 670,600), 693 sq mi (1,795 sq km), extreme SE England. It comprises seven administrative districts: Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Hove, Lewes, Rother, and Wealden. The county, the seat of which is Lewes, borders the English Channel. , where he died peacefully in his sleep on July 18 aged 113. Family, friends and senior representatives from the armed forces were to attend St Nicholas's Church, in Dyke Road, Brighton, for the service with full military honours, led by the Reverend Robert Chavner. The Duchess of Gloucester was also due to attend as patron of the First World War Veterans' Association. Dennis Goodwin, founder and chairman of the First World War Veterans' Association, said: "I will never be able to forget him. I have been to many veterans' funerals but this is most special because it coincides with the end of an era." CAPTION(S): Gearing up: Dave Linney, from the Great War Display team, prepares for the flypast fly·past n. Chiefly British A flyover, as by military aircraft. Noun 1. flypast - a flight at a low altitude (usually of military aircraft) over spectators on the ground fly-by, flyover at the funeral of Henry Allingham, below. |
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