The last-known surviving British veteran from the World War I trenches has put his long life down to the Shropshire air.
Harry Patch, who served with the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, turned 109 yesterday.
Mr Patch, originally from Bath and now at a nursing home in Somerset, was conscripted into the war at 18.
Just weeks later, he was thrown into one of the bloodiest and most brutal battles of the war, at Passchendaele, near the Belgian town of Ypres, in 1917.
Mr Patch lost three of his closest friends and was himself badly injured and demobilised. He was evacuated back to Britain and sent to a hospital in Shropshire to recuperate. In 1918 he married Ada Billington, from Hadley, who was caring for him.
He was married to Ada for 58 years, until her death in 1976. He has also outlived the two sons they had together.
Mr Patch’s friend Nick Fear said: “He met his wife while he was in Shropshire. He was a strong family man and would have gone back visiting. He has very fond memories of the county.”
Mr Patch, who had a celebratory birthday dinner yesterday, put his long life down to his time in the Shropshire countryside.
“I lived in Shropshire among the Welsh mountains,” he said.
3 Comments
I saw Harry Patch on the touching documentary aired on the BBC some time ago about the last veterans of the First World War.
What a fantastic man he is. He talked about his experience of the Great War with great clarity, despite his venerable age - but there wasn’t an ounce of jingoism or glorification of war.
A man we can all respect - regardless of our political views or creed.
A great hero of our time !!!
Should be voted Worlds Greatest!!
What a man!! lived through 3 centuries!!amazing!