Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Henry Allingham flypast


PhilB

Recommended Posts

Today`s IoS:-

A photo would be nice! Phil B

I've not heard anything specifically and there was nothing in the local paper Friday. All I know is there is something planned for 6th June at The Grand Hotel and have just seen this on the bbc local:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/souther...ies/5044206.stm

I was fortunate enough to attend Henry's 109th "do" and that was great so this should be even better! I'll keep an ear out for the Tornado's!

Cheers

Ryan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Typical of WW1 servicemen! Who`d have guessed that an RAF man would have served at Jutland? Which ship was he on? Did he serve on it as a RNAS mechanic? Phil B

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Typical of WW1 servicemen! Who`d have guessed that an RAF man would have served at Jutland? Which ship was he on? Did he serve on it as a RNAS mechanic? Phil B

Henry was on HMS Kingfisher (RNAS Air Mechanic yes) - there are some other threads on this & Henry somewhere if you search

Cheers

Ryan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Folks

A very brief, & basic resume of Henry Allingham's service.....

He says he had wanted to volunteer in 1914, when he was 18, but his widowed mother did not want to lose her only son, so he stayed with her, until she died in 1915, when he originally enlisted (I believe under the Derby scheme), as a dispatch rider in the army. However, he was unwilling to wait for the army to call him, so he enlisted as an air mechanic in the RNAS, originally volunteering for East Africa, meaning (as those Pals who have served, will know) that he was posted to the East Coast of England!!. He was on HMT Kingfisher, which towed seaplanes, & shadowed the fleet at Jutland, & later served in France, near St. Omer, where acted as observer/gunner on some flights & was also involved in the recovery of downed aircraft from the front. On 1st April 1918 he, like all members of the RNAS & RFC, transferred to the RAF.

After the war, he went to work for Ford, & during WW2 was involved in the development of countermeasures against magnetic mines (his was classified as a reserved occupation, so he was ineligible to enlist or be conscripted), & there is a story which tells of him answering a call during Christmas dinner & not returning home for some days.

Additionally, IIRC, he is also the last WW1 veteran to have received replacement campaign medals, after it was discovered he had been wearing those of a friend, due to the fact his own were lost when his London home was bombed during the Blitz.

Sorry if I am repeating information widely available elsewhere.....

Regards

Mark

P.S Henry Allingham is also in favour of a state funeral for the last British resident British WW1 veteran, although he has stated he doubts it will be him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Desperately hunting through business files to find a survey/visit needed on Tuesday in Eastbourne !

Flypast is due at 12.00 noon :)

Cheers

Ryan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy Birthday to Henry! I was fortunate enough to be able to say it in person again this year so here are a few pics of the great man and his meeting with the Chancellor (amongst other dignataries).

Then followed a flypast from 2 Tornado's from RAF Marham and a Royal Navy Seahawk

He was really enjoying his day which will see him having a lunch with 15 of his family who made it from around the globe for the great occasion.

Happy birthday again Henry!

Cheers

Ryan

post-1391-1149593625.jpg

post-1391-1149593651.jpg

post-1391-1149593683.jpg

post-1391-1149593740.jpg

post-1391-1149593749.jpg

post-1391-1149593757.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So pleased that the Navy pitched up with such a pretty airplane - in salute to his RNAS service of course.

Great that a Pal was there to represent us all. Thanks for the pics, Ryan !

Happy Birthday Henry !

This has quite cheered me up as I sit in a rather dull office.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No problem at all - always honoured to be in Henry's company!

Latest on the day from the BBC Southern Counties

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/souther...ies/5052152.stm

Cheers

Ryan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

m13pgb said:
Just a little concerned about Henry`s medals. Has he lost some? Phil B

ISTR (including on another thread around here somewhere) that Henry lost some medals when his house was bombed during WW2 and had some replaced.

Thanks for posting the pictures SP.

I was somewhat relieved to see that the Navy had pitched in with the flypast.

I think that would be Vice Admiral Johns talking to Henry in that last pic'.

See:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/souther...ies/5052152.stm

for the BBC story

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Phil B - Henry's medals are correct - BWM & VM, with the French Legion D'Honneur (awarded to all British veterans who served in France or French waters in 1998, 2 years after the award was given to all French WW1 veterans). I think the medallion round his neck is the freedom of Eastbourne.

Gret to see he had a good day, bet he's already planning next year's celebration!

Cheers

Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Thank you Ryan for posting those pics. I hope that they hang around here on the forum for awhile.

Perhaps if Chris decides to remove them arrangments could be made for hosting them elsewhere on the web.

(I have been delayed from posting this message by reduced internet connectivity (thank you MS) but thanks to a generous birthday gift by parents have now set-up a new laptop which has proved the router wireless is working. Had 60 pages of new posts to wade through but no immediate time for doing it. Is there a way of preserving such a long new post list for a subsequent log-in?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...