The Last Men Standing, St Pancras 2009

Amazing. He must be 107..?
A friends grandfather was an AIRMAN in that war and passed away 10 years or so ago at 102.
Great image.

wonderful portrait!
i can't imagine what he must have lived through ...

john

Agree with Vic, a great image.

Not taking awayfrom the image. Might need to verify the WWI claim though, there are 3 vets - 1 US, 1 UK (living in Perth, Western Australia) and 1 CA. All over 108, not that this fellow isn't that old, but perhaps it should be WWII - many of those fine men are up in there mid 80's.

Fantastic, regardless of the age. A meaningful photograph.

wonderful Kal and thanks for the historic reference ....

A wonderful (back lit!) portrait.

Great photo, and very timely.

Thanks all. OK so I may have erred on the WW I claim (wife just pointed out that there are still pensioners joining)..could be WWII. They have to be decorated and soldiers not officers. Either way, he was a true gentleman, and he was alot older than 80 and could hardly be heard when talking!K

Very moving, thanks for sharing.
Steve

As I understand it - and maybe I don't, really - a Chelsea Pensioner is an ex soldier over 65 who has over 12 years service. To be an 'in-pensioner' - that is to live in the Royal Hospital (it is like an army nursing home), you have to have no family or partner and be dependant on an army pension. I don't think there is any requirement to have served in any particular war. Indeed, no war in recent history has lasted 12 years, thankfully, so all the Chelsea pensioners are professional career soldiers rather than wartime conscripts or volunteers. This chap may well have had distinguished service in any number of theatres of conflict around the 1920s or 30s and earned his place in the Hospital, I think he need not neccesarily have been in either WW1 or WW2.