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Britain's oldest man Henry Allingham turns 112
Britain's oldest man is celebrating reaching his 112th birthday.
Henry Allingham was born in Clapham, London on June 6 1896 and is the last surviving founder member of the Royal Air Force – formed 90 years ago. His life has spanned six British monarchs and 21 prime ministers. He has joked that the secret to his longevity is cigarettes, whisky and wild women.
Mr Allingham served in both World Wars and holds many military medals and honours including the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Legion D'Honneur - the highest military accolade awarded by France. He currently lives at St Dunstan's home for blind ex-servicemen in Ovingdean, near Brighton.
In keeping with his rich military history, Mr Allingham will travel to the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in Lincolnshire for his birthday celebrations. The event will include a fly past by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and a parachute jump display. He will also receive a cake from local school children.
Record-breaking longevity
Mr Allingham has been the oldest living man in Britain for several years and his status was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of Records in January 2007. Following the death of French supercentenarian Maurice Floquet, Allingham also became the oldest man in Europe. He completed a hat-trick of longevity landmarks in February 2007 when the death of 110-year-old Antonio Pierro made him the oldest surviving veteran of World War I.
Allingham also shares his birthday with another celebrated supercentenarian. George Rene Francis is America’s oldest man and, amazingly, was also born on June 6 1896. He and Henry share the position of world’s second-oldest man. The only older man on the planet is Japan’s Tomoji Tanabe who was born on September 18 1895.
Britain's oldest man is celebrating reaching his 112th birthday.
Henry Allingham was born in Clapham, London on June 6 1896 and is the last surviving founder member of the Royal Air Force – formed 90 years ago. His life has spanned six British monarchs and 21 prime ministers. He has joked that the secret to his longevity is cigarettes, whisky and wild women.
Mr Allingham served in both World Wars and holds many military medals and honours including the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the Legion D'Honneur - the highest military accolade awarded by France. He currently lives at St Dunstan's home for blind ex-servicemen in Ovingdean, near Brighton.
In keeping with his rich military history, Mr Allingham will travel to the Royal Air Force College Cranwell in Lincolnshire for his birthday celebrations. The event will include a fly past by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and a parachute jump display. He will also receive a cake from local school children.
Record-breaking longevity
Mr Allingham has been the oldest living man in Britain for several years and his status was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of Records in January 2007. Following the death of French supercentenarian Maurice Floquet, Allingham also became the oldest man in Europe. He completed a hat-trick of longevity landmarks in February 2007 when the death of 110-year-old Antonio Pierro made him the oldest surviving veteran of World War I.
Allingham also shares his birthday with another celebrated supercentenarian. George Rene Francis is America’s oldest man and, amazingly, was also born on June 6 1896. He and Henry share the position of world’s second-oldest man. The only older man on the planet is Japan’s Tomoji Tanabe who was born on September 18 1895.
