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UK's last surviving Tommy?

The total number of remaining British WW1 veterans to three.

They are Henry Allingham, who served with the RNAS and is believed to be Britain's oldest man, aged 110.

Harry Patch, aged 110, is the UK's last surviving Tommy and former Naval Seaman William Stone is 107.

My question is why is Henry Allingham, not listed as the UK's last surviving Tommy - but Harry Patch is?

tali1 Tue 02/09/08 22:32

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rabbitygirl
Tue 02/09/08
22:41

The name Tommy refers to soldiers, from a soldier called Tommy Atkins. Harry Patch was a soldier, and is the last surviving Tommy but Henry Allingham cannot be referred to as a Tommy because, as you say, he was in the RNAS.

Buenchico
Tue 02/09/08
22:42

The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines a 'Tommy' as a 'British private soldier'. So by that definition, anyone who served in WW1 either as an officer, or in a branch of the armed services other than the army, doesn't qualify as a 'Tommy'.

Since HA served with the Royal Naval Air Services, I assume that's why he doesn't qualify as a 'Tommy'.

Chris

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