Britain's oldest man reaches 111
Updated on 06 June 2007
Britain's oldest man has been celebrating his 111th birthday.
One of only three living British survivors of the First World War - and the oldest of the bunch. reaching 111, Henry Allingham is still around to remember friends who died ninety years ago. one of the few survivors of a generation that lost so many of its number.
Born in east London in the final years of the nineteenth century, he enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service at nineteen, and a few years later became a founding member of the RAF.
Nine decades, five grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and a string of accolades later, each birthday has become an event - celebrated by hundreds beyond his family.
This day marked by a military flypast - and then a party on board Lord Nelson's flagship HMS Victory at Portsmouth.
He made the trip from his home at a care home for blind ex-service personnel in East Sussex. He remains a frequent traveller, last year making it to France to mark the 90th anniversary of the battle of the Somme, and to Germany where he laid a wreath with a 109-year-old German veteran.
And now today reminiscing over old photos and receiving his twelfth card from the Queen - hopeful he'll be receiving a thirteenth.
"Keep my fingers crossed, you never know" - Henry Allingham
