Second-last WWI veteran dies at 106

The Unknown Man · **Posted:** May 9th, 2007, 4:29 pm

Quote:

Percy Dwight Wilson, one of two surviving veterans of the First World War, has died at age 106.

Adbot · **Posted:** May 9th, 2007, 4:29 pm

trekkie · **Posted:** May 9th, 2007, 5:18 pm

witness 2 world wars and dies during another war with a stupid president

Mr Pink · **Posted:** May 9th, 2007, 6:17 pm

My grandfather was born in 1914 (He is 93 now) exactly during when WWI started.

I bet there is more veterans who would not like to reveal their identity for personal reasons or for media's attention.

Mushroom Queen · **Posted:** May 10th, 2007, 3:31 pm

Weirdly, I've always been fascinated with WWI over WWII. The First World War had so much introduced to it, like poison gas..trench warfare.. grenades. I guess I feel like the WWI veterans had it so much worse than those in WWII. I don't know.

But I'm sad he died. But, as Alexandr said, there probably might be others. I'm not sure though.

Kronic · **Posted:** May 10th, 2007, 4:36 pm

Mushroom Queen wrote:

Weirdly, I've always been fascinated with WWI over WWII. The First World War had so much introduced to it, like poison gas..trench warfare.. grenades. I guess I feel like the WWI veterans had it so much worse than those in WWII. I don't know.

Have you read All Quiet on the Western Front? It's a great book about the life of a German private written by a WWI German veteran. I had to do a whole research paper for it, and it showed how WWI really did quite a number on the soldiers. They went through so much.

Looking back to things like that, makes me wonder if we had a full-scale war, equal to WWI or WWII, today if the world could stomach it. For instance, in the war with Iraq 3500 soldiers or so have died and it's considered "bad". However, 3500 is nothing compared to the 9 or so million soldiers that fell during WWI.

Kyle · **Posted:** May 10th, 2007, 4:58 pm

Thats sad, i would have loved to sit down with his and listen to his war stories.

Adbot · **Posted:** May 10th, 2007, 4:58 pm

Mushroom Queen · **Posted:** May 10th, 2007, 5:29 pm

Kronic wrote:

Mushroom Queen wrote:

Weirdly, I've always been fascinated with WWI over WWII. The First World War had so much introduced to it, like poison gas..trench warfare.. grenades. I guess I feel like the WWI veterans had it so much worse than those in WWII. I don't know.

Have you read All Quiet on the Western Front? It's a great book about the life of a German private written by a WWI German veteran. I had to do a whole research paper for it, and it showed how WWI really did quite a number on the soldiers. They went through so much.

Looking back to things like that, makes me wonder if we had a full-scale war, equal to WWI or WWII, today if the world could stomach it. For instance, in the war with Iraq 3500 soldiers or so have died and it's considered "bad". However, 3500 is nothing compared to the 9 or so million soldiers that fell during WWI.

Yes! That's the book that interested me so much in WWI. Although, I'd not recommend reading it before lunch

Mikhail · **Posted:** May 10th, 2007, 6:41 pm

I read that book, Yeah and i repeat don't read it before lunch you don't wanna barf everywhere...some stuff is gross in there.

The Unknown Man · **Posted:** May 10th, 2007, 6:42 pm

Kyle wrote:

Thats sad, I would have loved to sit down with his and listen to his war stories.

I never really like listening my grandfather, but I think he would of been more interesting. Then again due to the fact that he has seen alot he may not want to talk about it.

Chris · **Posted:** May 11th, 2007, 2:51 pm

Well, that is restricted to Canada. In 2005, the US had estimated that there were 100 left in the US. What the number is now I am not quite sure. Still interesting though.

OT, your avatar really scares me.

Cowboyofdeath · **Posted:** May 11th, 2007, 3:19 pm

Mushroom Queen wrote:

Kronic wrote:

Mushroom Queen wrote:

Weirdly, I've always been fascinated with WWI over WWII. The First World War had so much introduced to it, like poison gas..trench warfare.. grenades. I guess I feel like the WWI veterans had it so much worse than those in WWII. I don't know.

Have you read All Quiet on the Western Front? It's a great book about the life of a German private written by a WWI German veteran. I had to do a whole research paper for it, and it showed how WWI really did quite a number on the soldiers. They went through so much.

Looking back to things like that, makes me wonder if we had a full-scale war, equal to WWI or WWII, today if the world could stomach it. For instance, in the war with Iraq 3500 soldiers or so have died and it's considered "bad". However, 3500 is nothing compared to the 9 or so million soldiers that fell during WWI.

Yes! That's the book that interested me so much in WWI. Although, I'd not recommend reading it before lunch

I want to read it. But who's the author? I did a search in my library's Internet catalog and it gave me a bunch of reviews with 11 results with the same title, "All quiet on the Western Front" but all by different authors...

Kronic · **Posted:** May 11th, 2007, 4:05 pm

Cowboyofdeath wrote:

I want to read it. But who's the author? I did a search in my library's Internet catalog and it gave me a bunch of reviews with 11 results with the same title, "All quiet on the Western Front" but all by different authors...

Erich Maria Remarque.

The Unknown Man · **Posted:** May 12th, 2007, 4:06 pm

Chris wrote:

Well, that is restricted to Canada. In 2005, the US had estimated that there were 100 left in the US. What the number is now I am not quite sure. Still interesting though.

OT, your avatar really scares me.

This is what Wiki has to say about the surviving WW1 Vets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surviving_veterans_of_World_War_I

OT: Really now? Maybe I should put my RL picture up there to scare more people.

xOhYax · **Posted:** May 12th, 2007, 4:53 pm

That sucks

and to think, in the next 100 years i bet there will be ww3