Allingham: Veteran

London, July 18 (Reuters): Henry Allingham, the world’s oldest man and one of the last survivors of World War I, has died at the age of 113, his care home said today.

Allingham, who once jokingly credited his long life to “cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women”, died in his sleep at the St Dunstan’s care home near Brighton, on the south coast of England.

“He died very peacefully and very comfortably in his sleep,” a spokeswoman for the home said. “It was a sad day. We are all very saddened .... There was nothing specific, he was just 113.”

Allingham, who became the world’s oldest man in June, following the death of Tomoji Tanabe of Japan, had five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild.

He was born in 1896, the same year Henry Ford created the Ford Quadricycle, the forerunner of the modern day car. His life spanned three centuries and he survived for 113 years and 42 days.

During World War I he served with the Royal Naval Air Service, fighting at the Battle of Jutland, the largest sea battle of the war.

He later transferred to the Royal Air Force when it was created at the end of the war in 1918. “His knowledge of the war, his personality, his character, they were all remarkable,” said the care home spokeswoman.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who met Allingham at veterans’ day commemorations, offered his condolences to his family.