Harry patch charles kuentz

Charles, prince of wales led the tributes to him, saying. But despite his wealth of experience, harry said hes determined to look forwards and not backwards. Harry patch geeze and to think we did it again, and again, and again. Jul 22, 2007 henry allingham, who is 110, is britains oldest war veteran and one of the last great war veterans still alive. Born the youngest of three brothers in the somerset village of combe down in 1898, he put his longevity down to a lifetime of clean living.

Charles kuentz germanys last surviving veteran of the great war. Irrespective of the uniforms we wore, we were all victims. Harry patch the last surviving combat soldier of the first. Ww1 picture 59 harry patch and charles kuentz shake. Pleasant mount emergency services inc, pleasant mount, pennsylvania. Yet harry patch first cried over his wartime experiences after he was a hundred years old, never having spoken of them before then, and the same was true for charles kuentz, the last surviving german veteran of ww1. Pleasant mount emergency services is an allvolunteer organization providing fire fighting and ambulance services for.

Nov 14, 2004 harry patch vowed that he would never return to the battlefields but when the first world war veteran met an old enemy in ypres, the two formed an unlikely bond. Voices comment by jingo, goves right those leftie academics have hijacked the great war. Earlier this year, i went back to ypres to shake the hand of charles kuentz, germanys only surviving veteran from the war. Before his death, harry patch returned to ypres to shake the hand of charles kuentz, germanys only surviving war veteran who was 87 at the time.

Charles kuentz february 18, 1897, ranspach april 7, 2005 was an alsatian centenarian and veteran of world war i. When the first world war was over and he was back in the west country, running a plumbing business, he never mentioned those months. From his vivid memories of an edwardian childhood, the horror of the great war and fighting in the mud during the battle of passchendaele, working on the home front in the second world war, and fame in later life as a veteran, the last fighting tommy is the story of. Patch was, with claude choules and florence green, one of the last three surviving british veterans of the first world war and. From his vivid memories of an edwardian childhood, the horror of the great war and fighting in the mud during the battle of passchendaele, working on the home front in the second world war, and fame in later life as a veteran, the last fighting tommy is the story of an. He, too, had suffered the loss of a close friend, killed by shrapnel beside him in a. In november 2004, at the age of 106, patch met charles kuentz, a 107yearold alsatianveteran, who had fought on the german side at passchendaele and served on the french side in world war ii.

Introduction harry patch was a man from combe down in the county of somerset as well as the last verifiable man living anywhere on earth to have had firsthand experience of fighting in the trenches of the first world war. But despite his wealth of experience, harry said hes determined to. Lancecorporal henry john harry patch heritage calling. Harry patch britains last fighting tommy, he broke his decadeslong silence on the first world war to describe it as legalised mass murder in 1917, harry patch, who has died aged 111, could have instantly joined the half a million german and commonwealth soldiers ripped apart in the mud of the battle of passchendaele. Three weeks ago, harry, who fought at passchendaele in 1917 and is one of only 20 surviving british first world war veterans, made the long journey to the western belgian town of ypres to meet charles kuentz, 107, germanys only living great war survivor. He appears in the 1901 census as a twoyearold boy along with his stonemason father william john patch, mother elizabeth ann nee morris, and older brothers george frederick and william thomas at a house called fonthill. I was a bit doubtful before meeting a german soldier. At the age of 105 harry revisited the ypres battle field and in 2004 he returned for a bbc series to meet german veteran charles kuentz. He celebrated his 111th birthday at his wells, somerset, care home in june 2009. Nov 03, 2016 one night late september 1917, harry patchs battalion, part of the duke of cornwalls light infantry brigade, was pulled out of the line and moving to the rear over open ground when a german shell exploded.

Shaking your hand was an honour, wrote mr kuentz, and with that handshake we said more about peace than anything else ever could. Charles kuentz germanys last surviving veteran of the. In 2003 harry met his partner doris who lived in the same retirement home in wells. I went back to ypres to shake the hand of charles kuentz, germanys only surviving veteran from the war. Henry john harry patch 17 june 1898 25 july 2009, dubbed in his latter years the last fighting tommy, was a british supercentenarian, briefly the oldest man in europe and the last surviving soldier known to have fought in the trenches of the first world war. Jul 25, 2009 harry patch, britains last survivor of the trenches of world war i, has died at the age of 111. He joined the 7th battalion of the duke of cornwalls light infantry as an assistant gunner, arriving in france in june 1917 and fighting at passchendaele that summer. At the age of 105 mr patch revisited the ypres battle field and in 2004 he returned for a bbc series to meet a german veteran charles kuentz. He, too, had suffered the loss of a close friend, killed by shrapnel beside him in a trench. Harry patch, the last tommy of ww1 i cannot go to bed. Henry allingham, who is 110, is britains oldest war veteran and one of the last great war veterans still alive. Charles kuentz, who died in april, was born as karl, a german and died as charles, a frenchman. Nov 07, 2009 british veteran harry patch left, 106 years old in that moment, met with germanfrench veteran charles kuentz right, 107 years old, at the battlefields of passchendaele, where both men fought in the 1917 third battle of ypres. As harry patch meets charles kuentz, you could plausibly argue that 22 september 2004 is the date when the great war finally ended, ninety.

He is known for having served in the german army during the battle of passchendaele in world war i, and the french army during world war ii. Patch told the then prime minister, tony blair, that nobody during the first world war. These were the last two survivors of the great war, and in 2004 at the age of 106 harry patch met charles kuentz aged 107 and exchanged memories and gifts, somerset cider and alsatian biscuits. Prostate cancer our journey harry patch an amazing man. With bernard hill, alfred anderson, jim anderson, peggy anderson. He will help lead the nations tributes on the 90th anniversary of the battle of. With a handshake we said more about peace than anything else. Harry patch left and charles kuentz right shake hands at ypres, two of the last british and german ww1 veterans, november 2004. At age 106, patch met charles kuentz, 107yearold german world war i veteran who fought the british at passchendaele. He is known for having served the german army during the battle of passchendaele in world war i, and the french army during world war ii. He was the last surviving combat soldier from the first world war.

He was going to once again meet a german, but this time there would be only handshakes. Jul 25, 2009 other returns included for the bbcs the last tommy 2005, when he met a german veteran, charles kuentz. Newspaper article three weeks ago, harry, who fought at passchendaele in 1917 and is one of only 20 surviving british first world war veterans, made the long journey to the western belgian town of ypres to meet charles kuentz, 107. Britsky valecny hrdina harry patch 106 a posledni zijici nemecky vojak 1. Takovy happyend by nevymyslel zadny hollywoodsky scenarista.

Nov 10, 20 harry patch and charles kuentz these were the last two survivors of the great war, and in 2004 at the age of 106 harry patch met charles kuentz aged 107 and exchanged memories and gifts, somerset cider and alsatian biscuits. At age 106, patch met charles kuentz, 107yearold german world war i veteran. Newspaper article three weeks ago, harry, who fought at passchendaele in 1917 and is one of only 20 surviving british first world war veterans, made the long journey to the western belgian town of ypres to meet charles kuentz, 107, germanys only living great war survivor. Harry patch was born in the village of combe down, near bath, somerset, england. Harry patch returned to the fields of passchendaele where his three best friends met their end. Harry patch, 110 years old, is the last british soldier alive to have fought in the trenches of the first world war. Wilfred owens edinburgh 19172017 public group facebook.

Harry patch, who has died aged 111, was the last soldier to have fought in the trenches of the great war. Patch and kuentz met for the first time when they were 107, at a cemetery where 44,000 german soldiers were buried. Dva uhlavni nepratele, kteri proti sobe bojovali za 1. Harry was born in the village of combe down, near bath, somerset, england. In november 2004 british ww1 veteran harry patch, 106 years old, which would later become the last combat veteran, met with germanfrench veteran charles kuentz, 107 years old at the battlefields of passchendaele, where both men fought in the 1917 third battle of. Other returns included for the bbcs the last tommy 2005, when he met a german veteran, charles kuentz.

Pleasant mount emergency services inc posts facebook. Mr patch, too, went abroad at 106 to meet charles kuentz, aged 107. Charles kuentz 18 february 1897 7 april 2005 was an alsatian centenarian and veteran of world war i. Earlier this year, i went back to ypres to shake the hand of charles kuentz, germanys only surviving. British veteran harry patch left, 106 years old in that moment, met with germanfrench veteran charles kuentz right, 107 years old, at the battlefields of passchendaele, where both men fought in the 1917 third battle of ypres. Before his death, harry patch returned to the fields of passchendaele where his three best friends met their end. Patch was the last male first world war veteran living in europe and the last british male known to have been born in the 1890s. Harry patch, who has died aged 111, was the last soldier to have fought. Patch was, with claude choules and florence green, one of the last three surviving british veterans of the. With a handshake we said more about peace than anything.

Remembrance sunday has nothing on blackadder it was all right for harry patch, lazing in the. He never forgot those lost and always made sure to remember lost germans as well as allied troops. Jun 08, 2014 harry patch the last fighting tommy june 8, 2014 by editor leave a comment henry john harry patch 17 june 1898 25 july 2009, dubbed in his latter years the last fighting tommy, was a british supercentenarian, briefly the oldest man in europe and the last surviving soldier known to have fought in the trenches of the first. Passchendaele was a disastrous battle thousands and thousands of young lives were lost. Harry patch the last surviving combat soldier of the. A year older than patch, charles kuentz had also fought at passchendaele. Harry patch, from somerset, the last surviving tommy. At 111, harry patch was the oldest person in britain and the last surviving tommy.

Ww1 picture 59 harry patch and charles kuentz shake hands. In november 2004, at the age of 106, patch met charles kuentz, a 107yearold alsatian veteran, who had fought on the german side at passchendaele and served on the french side in world war ii. In november 2004 british ww1 veteran harry patch, 106 years old, which would later become the last combat veteran, met with germanfrench veteran charles kuentz, 107 years old at the battlefields of passchendaele, where both men fought in. Harry patch in ypres in 2004 with charles kuentz, the last remaining german soldier from the first world war.

Nov 09, 2014 harry patch britains last fighting tommy, he broke his decadeslong silence on the first world war to describe it as legalised mass murder in 1917, harry patch, who has died aged 111, could have instantly joined the half a million german and commonwealth soldiers ripped apart in the mud of the battle of passchendaele. Millions remember his meeting with german veteran charles kuentz in 2004. The documentary makers also persuaded patch to meet one of germanys lastsurviving veterans on september 22, the anniversary of the loss of his three comrades in the lewisgun team. Jul 26, 2009 harry patch in ypres in 2004 with charles kuentz, the last remaining german soldier from the first world war. Harry patch and charles kuentz these were the last two survivors of the great war, and in 2004 at the age of 106 harry patch met charles kuentz aged 107 and exchanged memories and gifts, somerset cider and alsatian biscuits. Today, nothing could give me greater pride than paying tribute to harry patch, of somerset. Harry patch first world war veteran obituary world news. Harry patch first world war veteran obituary world.

The last world war i soldier to see combat died at age 111. Harry patch, born june 17, 1898, was the last british soldier alive to have fought in the trenches of the first world war. When the war ended, i dont know if i was more relieved that wed won or that i didnt have to go back. Nov 10, 2018 the documentary makers also persuaded patch to meet one of germanys lastsurviving veterans on september 22, the anniversary of the loss of his three comrades in the lewisgun team. Harry was wounded in the groin by a shell splinter. Harry patch vowed that he would never return to the battlefields but. Jul 22, 2019 before his death, harry patch returned to the fields of passchendaele where his three best friends met their end. Henry allingham,111, no wonder the rats survived youtube. Harry was the last tommy to survive the horror of the trenches of wwi. Jul 25, 2009 henry john harry patch 17 june 1898 25 july 2009, dubbed in his latter years the last fighting tommy, was a british supercentenarian, briefly the oldest man in europe and the last surviving soldier known to have fought in the trenches of the first world war. At the age of 105 harry revisited the ypres battle field and in 2004 returned for a bbc series to meet a german veteran, charles kuentz.

He was a native of alsacelorraine, the muchdisputed lost provinces between france and germany, which were annexed by the germans in the francoprussian war, and. Charles kuentz holds up a sepia photograph of himself taken in 1916. Born in alsace, kuentz was conscripted by the kaisers army at the age of 19, since the alsace. Jul 25, 2009 at 111, harry patch was the oldest person in britain and the last surviving tommy. Its easy to assume that reconciliation happens only at the end of conflict, but of course there are moments, even in the midst of war, when by the mercy of god there is a space for compassion and peace. Harry patch described war as organized murder and nothing else and didnt talk about it until he was over a hundred. Patch was wounded on sept 1917 when a shell exploded near him and injured his groin, killing three of his comrades. Charles kuentz was the son of a railwayman and was conscripted into the kaisers army at 19. From his vivid memories of an edwardian childhood, the horror of the great war and fighting in the mud during the battle of passchendaele, working on the home front in the second world war and fame in later life as a veteran, the last fighting tommy is. He fought at ypres and on the somme before transferring to the eastern front for the terrible winter of 1917, when temperatures sank to minus 40f. Jan 09, 2014 voices comment by jingo, goves right those leftie academics have hijacked the great war. One night late september 1917, harry patchs battalion, part of the duke of cornwalls light infantry brigade, was pulled out of the line and moving to the rear over open ground when a german shell exploded.