Happy Birthday to the Senior Aviator
 

Henry Allingham; Britain's oldest man, celebrates his 110th birthday today
(6th June 2006) Congratulations !!!

Henry joined the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915 as an aircraft mechanic and acted as an observer and gunner searching for U-boats, Zeppelins and mines in the North Sea. The last person alive to witness the Battle of Jutland and the last surviving founder member of the RAF.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...es/5044206.stm

Henry Allingham - What a Man!
 

I quote from the DT of a few days ago
"It is important for any nation to have heroes, and we must choose ours carefully. Henry Allingham is, at 109, Britain's oldest man and is thought to be the last survivor of the Battle of Jutland, which, 90 years ago this day, saw the loss of 8,648 British and German lives.
In this superficial age, we often struggle to agree on who our living icons are. And while Henry Allingham is no celebrity, he played his part in the most important naval battle of the First World War. He also saw service on the Somme and at Passchendaele. (Incidentally, Mr Allingham is probably the only man still alive to remember seeing the hirsute form of W G Grace batting at the Oval, 100 years ago.)
He has witnessed the entire 20th century with all its momentous changes, and symbolises a generation that is about to slip into history itself. If any man deserves our respect, it is he."
I am glad that his life and service are being recognised today

Hear hear A2. As well as the flypast, no doubt he is also receiving messages from HM and the PM - and given his founder member status, maybe CAS will drop in and offer his congratualtions.

Congratulations Henry!

Oops, sorry, thought this was about BEagle...:E

Hope I don't live to that age - I don't want politicians helping themselves to my cake....

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/image...4_henry203.jpg

Now if that isnt a prime one for caption competition I don't know what is.


How about.


Brown: Hee hee with my budget cut backs I have managed to cause more damage to the RAF than the Luftwaffe.

Henry Allingham: Watch it you young whippersnapper, I'm not too old to give you a swift hiding.

"Let go of my watch, you thieving jock so-and-so!"

Why is it that these pseudo-celebrity politicians feel they have the right to highjack someones birthday bash? I hope that if I ever get to be 110, the fifth or sixth Mrs SB will just wheel me down to the local for a half of Speckled Hen. Happy Birthday Henry, will have a beer for you tonight!

Beags just wishes he looked half as good as that old Gentleman!

I'll tip a pint for him tonight as well....for Birthday Boy...not Beags!

Will do so for Beags on his 109th....in 2012 izit Beags?

Brown - so young chap do you fancy going to Basra?

Alllingham - again? It was Persia in my day!

Come on! In his day it would have been Mesopotamia I should think! I hope he had a good day

I saw this reported on Channel 4 News tonight, the old guy straightened himself as best he could in his wheelchair -- he still had his pride -- and after saying he never thought he would see anything like this, commented "It's not for me, it's not for me. It's for those that can't be here", and just managed to keep his composure. Still thinking of his mates after 90 years. Very moving, and when it cut back to the studio the news presenter's voice was cracking.

Why do idiot politicians such as Brown try and muscule in on something that should have been celebrated by the military as a remarkable day for us, the military - celebrating the life of a veteran of history. I know Sir Clot sent his very best wishes (as CDS should) but he probably could have taken time out of his very 'busy diary', emasculating the Services (to preserve his elevation to the Peerage), but to have the day hijacked by the one man who has done more to destroy the British Armed Forces with successive budget cuts and his personal delaying of funding for urgent operational requirements makes me want to puke!
Oh and by the way where was our glorious f******g leader today? Looking for a replacement for his deputy? or keeping his head down knowing that even at 110 our veteran would have enjoyed kicking his head in!
Henry I salute you, your place in history is assurred, may many more of us live to be your age to remind a nation that those who serve make a sacrifice few are able to understand, let alone appreciate!

Happy Birthday Henry,

May Treble-One provide a suitable flypast for you next year.

A beer for you and another for those that cannot be there in person.

Kindest Regards

ZH

Battle of Jutland, Somme and Passchendaele and then the RAF. Had his finger in all the pies!

Remarkable.

Congrats Henry.

sw

All of above seconded to n'th degree

Happy Birthday Mr Allingham, Sir!:D :D



....... but also, a message to Brown

You are not worthy enough to lick his boots, let alone shake his hand.:=

Yeh,
Well done Henry Sir, we salute you.

as for Brown, he's not fit to be in the same room, let alone lick his boots!

TSM
'Caruthers, raise a glass to Henry with me'

Presumably the taxpayer funded the presents, or did GB dip into his own pocket. Hmmm, I wonder...