Thread: The last tommy

Roger, I'm in

I whole heartedly agree with the suggestion the last surviving soldier of WW1 be honoured with a State Funeral. It would be fitting to have contingents from ALL regiments, corps and services on parade.

Incidentally I can also remember, in the early 1950s, veterans of the Boer War on parade in London, dignified men, many wearing 'Bowler' hats, marching to "Soldiers Of The Queen."

Count me in, anything I can help with, just give me a shout.

Just had a look

thelasttommy.co.uk and lasttommy.co.uk are available

edit - should have done the last bit by PM. Sorry

Originally Posted by FluffyBunny

Just had a look

thelasttommy.co.uk and lasttommy.co.uk are available

I'll chip in towards the fund to run the site as well if that's OK with MDN (his suggestion after all)

And me, it is after all a very worthy cause.

Sparky

Count me and the wife in,

On a publicity/journo aside,
why doesn't someone contact that Mail writer who SEEMS pro-military.
I can't remember her name , sure someone here will though

I've just sent the following message to T Blair PM, via the Number 10 website, and had an acknowledgement that it has been received.

Dear Prime Minister

I write as a teacher in a state secondary school in Dover, and as an officer in the army section of a cadet unit attached to my school.

Many of us who serve in the armed forces, especially the army, in whatever capacity, are very aware that there are but a tiny number of men left still alive who served the First World War.

It cannot be long before the last "Tommy" dies and goes to The Great Naaffi in the Sky. We would like to see our last man honoured with a State Funeral. He should go on his last journey on a gun carriage escorted by comrades, not droppped off at the local crematorium in the back of a hearse courtesy of the Co-Op. His country should honour him, most especially as the last representative of all those who gave their lives.

Preparations need to be made - may I also draw your attention to the fact that the last Australian to see active service has recently died and is honoured with a State Funeral in Melbourne. Those who wear the uniform today can only hope that our last Tommy will get the honour he deserves.



Perhaps other readers of this thread might like to do something similar? The more messages they get on the same topic the more notice they are likely to take of it.

Not sure if this is the best place to post, although it does follow I guess.

My Nan died very recently. last Friday my Dad and myself were going through possessions, etc. A horrid task but has to be done.

We came upon a row of 3 medals, well, the strip that would be fitted to the Uniform, as well as a WW1 Pocket watch Compass, and some other things. (The compass is deploying to Afghan with me. I feel I need to take it with me, dunno why)

My Great Grandfather's. -He had been a Private and had served in Mesopotamia (Iraq) during 1915/16/17 . (I also have a handkerchief that had been embroidered out in that Theatre, embroidered with Royal Artillery stuff on it, but that's an aside.. That wil be headed off to the Imperial War Museum for safekeeping.)

He survived Mesopotamia,amongst other theatres (although spent time in a Miltary Hospital in that theatre, after which he returned to his unit to complete their tour) He had recieved a Mention in Despatches at some stage of his time in Mesopotamian theatre too.

I cant say I knew much about the goings on, but after researching from his medals and MID laurel, I must say I cannot believe the battles that these men fought in on all fronts.

Some of the Divisional battle lists look like something out of a fiction book. Lists and lists and lists of battles (not skirmishes) all inside a 4 year timeline. How any came back is beyond belief. Hard men in Hard times.

These men were often under armed, under equipped and under rationed. But they held strong. They were directed into situations by commanders who made wrong choices. Some had the indignity of having to retreat, some suffered capture. They also suffered death, both on the battlefield and at the hands of their captors. Those that survived conflict came back to little in the way of job prospects, little in the way of family.. many left home on a wave of passion, paying little regard for those they left behind. They were sold the party line of 'England expects' and went forth with Esprit De Corps outweighing family ties.

These men sacrificed so much for us and we give them sod all in return, as a nation.

Hell Yes we need to honour the last Tommy. None of the common 2 minute silence crap everything gets nowadays. At the minimum a full State funeral.

TCB will be getting a letter. Once I can see thru these damn tears. I must have something in my eye.

hought about something along these lines, may expand it a bit after talking to my better half


Sir,

As a former member of the Royal Air Force and the Territorial Army, I am writing to you to ask what type of event or ceremony is planned for the passing of our last remaining Great War Veteran.
Were it not for this man, his friends, colleagues and generation, YOU would not enjoy the position and way of life that you currently have. It is by their unselfish sacrifice that this country was once regarded as the greatest in the world.

Yours in anticipation


Too blunt? Rude? straight?

An absolutely excellent idea. However, I think you'll find the state funeral has been reserved for the demise of the last Provo. I believe the term is 'closure'

If I remember rightly, a few years ago the French Government awarded all our surviving veterans the Legion d'Honneur. Wouldn't it be nice to see our old boys get something from a 'grateful government'? It would make a change from seeing all the time servers and a**e lickers picking up honours for doing less than f**k all!

Originally Posted by JediKnight

Lads, we seem to raise petitions for all sorts (of very worthy) things on here. Why not start a campaign to the MoD to ensure they make preparations for such an event. With these blokes being 100+ I think realistically there isn't much time! What say you all?

I'm in!!
Spike

This just has to be done, can we ask the MODs to 'Sticky' this thread at the top of the Site Index? our current Government has done a lot of despicable, shameful and utterly cowardly things against our Armed Forces during their time at the helm, to name but a few: putting Soldiers on trial for various things, letting out almost every known terrorist, many a British Soldier having been injured or killed in the process of convicting them, destroying the Scottish Regiments of whom the Worlds' Armed Forces has always been in awe and respect of their courage and savagery in battle! they simply MUST honour at the highest level the last WWI Veteran on his passing away, this is even more important than the unknown warrior if that is possible! this should be the largest petition ever handed over to the British Government!!! it was after all the 'Great War'...

Here's my Vote...

Incidentally does anyone know who the last few survivors are and what Units they served with?

Since we don't have a Legion d'Honneur, surely something like a CBE (at least) in the New Years Honours List?

RedMistUK is right - MODS, sticky please while they are still with us.

From the Beeb website,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3089723.stm

Spike