Oldest Soldier to Die on the Western Front

[irishmen1916]

Hi, Can anybody please let me know who was the oldest Soldier to die in combat on the Western Front, I know it was during the first battle of the Somme July 1916. Any help, name,rank, Regiment, where, when, would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Peter

[geraint]

I have a Capt Thomas J Simpson of the Veterinary Corps, served in France, died May 1916 of pneumonia. He was 63. Name on Ruthin Memorial.

Geraint

[irishmen1916]

Thanks Geraint, I read years ago, don't ask which book, that the oldest

died in combat, will have to try dig that book out. Peter

[Bob Coulson]

68 year old Lt Henry Webber transport officer with the 7th South Lancs, killed near Mametz Wood in July 1916.

Bob.

[John S]

I understood it to be

Lt Henry Webber, Sth Lancs Regt, died 21/7/16 aged 68.

Buried in Dartmoor Cemetery, Becodel-Becourt.

Regards

John

Pipped at the post

[irishmen1916]

Thanks lads, I am away now to look him up. Peter

[SiegeGunner]

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...p;hl=oldest+man

[Paul Reed]

Don't forget Jasper Myers Richardson. Like Webber, he died of his wounds, but much further back, at Etaples:

Name: RICHARDSON, JASPER MYERS

Initials: J M

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel (Agricultural Officer)

Regiment/Service: Royal Garrison Artillery

Unit Text: V Corps.

Age: 68

Date of Death: 30/03/1918

Additional information: Son of Jasper Richardson; husband of Anne Richardson, of 49, Campden Hill Square, Kensington, London. Native of Newcastle-on-Tyne.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: XXVIII. F. 3.

Cemetery: ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY

There is mention of him in Charles Douie's The Weary Road.

[Alan Tucker]

[irishmen1916]

Thanks Alan, for the Photo. Peter

[Moriaty]

I was in Dartmoor cemetery three weeks ago and Lieutenant Webber's cwgc headstone now gives his age as 67 rather than 68 years old. It looks as if it had been "amended" recently.

Moriaty

[Hambo]

Webber was a member of the Stock Exchange and there is a photo and detailed bio of him in their roll of honour. If you'd like a copy send me a PM with an email address

Hambo

[Martin Bennitt]

Webber features quite prominently in Martin Middlebrook's 'First Day on the Somme.'

According to Middlebrook, his family received special messages of condolence from the King and Queen and the Army Council, and he was mentioned in Haig's despatches after his death. Though his three soldier sons survived the war, his wife never got over the shock and died within two years.

cheers Martin B

[Hambo]

His bio from the Stock Exchange and a little from Tonbridge

He was born in 1849 the son of Dr William Webber of Norwich and Tunbridge Wells. He was educated at Tonbridge School where he was in the cricket eleven in 1865/7 and at Pembroke College Oxford where he achieved a BA in 1871

In 1872 he joined the Stock Exchange and became a member of the firm of Norman Morris and Co and 1874 he married the eldest daughter of Mr Norman Morris of Lingfield in Surrey who was one of the firm's senior partners.

He was a well known sportsman, a prominent member of the Sueery Stag Hunt, a good shot and a keen cricketer. He played cricket for the "Icogniti" (his old boys side) and captained an MCC side against his old school. When he was 55 he scored 200 for his old village side Horley

He was a JP for Surrey, an original member of the Surrey County Council, honorary treasurer of the local Cottage Hospital and a church warden of the parish church.

On the outbreak of war he offered his services to the War Office as a rough rider "or in any other capacity. Rejected he tried very hard to form a mounted company of hunting men, which was also rejected so he set off to get a commission

Shortly before his 68th birthday he was gazetted on the 1st of May 1916 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment and after a short period of training at Park Royal was appointed Transport Officer and left for France.

With his battalion he took part in the opening phases of the Somme including the capture of La Boiselle on the 3rd of July. Two weeks later, on the 17th of July he wrote to a friend

"Fifty one years ago I got my colours in the XI and last week 51 years ago was bowling against the old boys and looking on some of them as "sitters" and in the "sere and yellow leaf". Yet here I am a Lieutenant in HM army having to salute three sons if I meet them out here, a Colonel and two Majors. I am 1st Line Transport Officer to this Battalion and we have been plumb in the centre of the picture during the last ten days and gained no end of "kudos" and also a very severe mauling. I am so far extraordinarily fit and well, though, when I tell you that for four consecutive days I was either on my feet or in the saddle for twenty one hours, out of twenty four, you will see that there is a bit of work attached to the job."

Four days later, before the letter was received, he was dead. He had taken rations up for his battalion and was talking to his CO at Battalion HQ in Mametz Wood when he was struck by a shell fragment. He was taken to the advanced dressing staion, and still unconcious was taken to the nearest Field Hospital where he died on the same evening, the 21st of July

His Commanding Officer wrote "He was so gallant and full of energy. We all had the greatest admiration and respect for him."

He was mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's despatches of the 4th of January 1917

His three serving sons were Lt Col N.W. Webber DSO RE Maj H.H.Webber RGA and Major LM Webber RFA. He left a widow and eight children

[Paul Hederer]

How do we know the oldest soldier to die in combat on the Western Front was not:

French, German, Russian, Austrian, Belgian, Portuguese, or American?

Paul

[John Gilinsky]

or Canadian, eh?

[Paul Hederer]

or Canadian, eh?

True enough!

[ckop4]

Or what about the oldest Irishman killed? Willie Redmond, aged 56 (oldest Irish officer?) or what about this Limerick man -

Name: GARDINER

Initials: G

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Royal Munster Fusiliers

Unit Text: 9th Bn.

Age: 59

Date of Death: 28/04/1916

Service No: 4584

[daggers]

What about the war at sea? I have found men in their 50s especially engineers in merchant ships. (This should probably be in a different thread)

Daggers

[Peter Gower]

This of course all assumes that older men were truthful with their ages. I suspect they lied as much as the boys did, to make sure they were able to fight. I have a news story of a 70+ year old who was sent back from the trenches to Canada (via a meeting with King George) when his true age was found out.

Peter

[seaJane]

When he was 55 he scored 200 for his old village side Horley

His name is on the memorial screen at the west end of St Bartholomew's Church in Horley. I remember seeing it there (parents lived in Horley 1964-2005 and I grew up there).

[Messina1915]

So sad

The deaths of older men are just as tragic as the deaths of teenagers, just in a very different way.

The same desperate desire to serve their country.

Carole

[marine pete]

Hi, Can anybody please let me know who was the oldest Soldier to die in combat on the Western Front, I know it was during the first battle of the Somme July 1916. Any help, name,rank, Regiment, where, when, would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Peter

peter

Although this does not meet your criteria the oldest serving army chaplain was the Revd James Shaw a presbyterian minister with the Indian Ecclesiastical establishment in Quetta he was called up for chaplaincy service early in 1918 at the advanced age of 73 and was demobilised on the 15th february 1919 Regards peter.

[SMG65]

I seem to recall a New Zealander buried at Mud Corner aged 54 who was killed at 3rd Ypres, I think it was a Pte Beach.

Oldest New Zealander possibly?

Sean

[irishmen1916]

Thanks pals for all the posts on this, you have been yet again a great help. Peter