Talk:Claude Choules

Oldest titles
Isnt he the oldest man in Australia and the oldest living World War 2 veteran? 65.0.27.76 (talk) 13:05, 1 November 2009 (UTC)

Oldest WW2 vets
I am not sure about being Australia's oldest man, but he is not the oldest WWII vet. I am not sure whom holds that honor. I do know that Mr. Josef Kowalski, a veteran of World War II is 110 years old. As Mr. Kowalski took part in the Polish-Soviet war, some do consider him to be a veteran of WWI as well. In any case, today is Mr. Choules' 109th birthday. I understand that his health is not good. Here's wishing Mr. Choules' a very happy birthday, and good health for whatever time he has left on this earth!Mk5384 (talk) 14:20, 3 March 2010 (UTC)

Marriage
I didn't mean that it read better using "Mr. Choules". I meant that it read better than the previous explanation of his marriage.Mk5384 (talk) 00:30, 17 April 2010 (UTC)

Health
Well, well, well. Claude Choules' family put an expiration date on him, and it happened to be today. However, here we are today, and Claude Choules is still alive. Isn't it possible that maybe Choules' health is improving somewhat? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.153.24.20 (talk) 20:00, 25 April 2011 (UTC)


 * Taken out of context. His dauther stated last Anzec? day that she was afraid he wouldn't be around this time next year. So the media blabs - family says he won't be around 4/27/11. He is totally blind and can not walk or hear very well - breathing yes, but that is about all.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 205.204.248.86 (talk) 18:07, 28 April 2011 (UTC)


 * Well I must admit that he is doing well for one who can only breathe! At 110, he is still living, and that's the most important part!68.215.79.92 (talk) 23:17, 1 May 2011 (UTC)

--How?--

How do you know he was dead before anyone else ?? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.163.75.101 (talk) 12:03, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Oldest British man
Since he passed away, who is now (as of May 2011) the oldest living British man? ACEOREVIVED (talk) 16:19, 5 May 2011 (UTC)


 * Specifically for men, as opposed to people of either gender? Whoever it is, they're younger than 110, there's only British women on this list. --  Zanimum (talk) 18:32, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Thank you for that link. I would be talking about men, as normally, reports - both on Wikipedia and in the news in general - make a distinction between the oldest living person and the oldest living man. It is quite reasonable to make this distinction, given that women typically live longer than men. Read the talk page for Stanley Lucas, and that will guide you to a section of Wikipedia that points out that male supercentenarians are rarer than male footballers (hardly an amazing fact, that!) ACEOREVIVED (talk) 20:16, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

The Reverend Richard Dean (born November 1902) is now Britain's oldest man, as noted on:

http://oldestinbritain.webs.com/

At the time of typing (May 2011), that would make him 108 years old. ACEOREVIVED (talk) 21:18, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Sorry - I just checked the website again, and saw that he is actually called the Reverend Reginald Dean (born November 4 1902). ACEOREVIVED (talk) 23:38, 2 June 2011 (UTC)

There is also information on Dean available on:

http://www.urc.org.uk/news/2010/november/urc_minister_believed_to_be_britain_s_oldest_man

You can see from this that he has worked as a minister in the United Reformed Church. The website does clarify that although he is currently Britain's oldest man, he is NOT the oldest person in Britain - it is believed that there are 58 women who are older than him. ACEOREVIVED (talk) 09:33, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

He is now 109 - he celebrated his 109th birthday on 3 November, 2011. ACEOREVIVED (talk) 16:58, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Another website gives his date of birth as 4 November 1902  -  well, he was certainly born in November! ACEOREVIVED (talk) 12:09, 17 November 2011 (UTC)

Age
How did he manage to join the navy at 14 years old? Tad Lincoln (talk) 20:44, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Not unusual in those days. Jack Cornwell enlisted at 15 and was awarded the Victoria Cross (posthumously) at 16. 66.232.246.92 (talk) 19:02, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

Last WW1 veteran or combat veteran
Information about Florence Green was removed on the basis that "Florence Green is not a "veteran" Choules was the last known living combat veteran. ref provided". While I do not dispute that Choules was the last living veteran to see action in WW1, the dictionary definition of veteran includes those who have served in the armed forces, irrespective of whether they took part in combat operations or not. The current version of the article states that Choules "was the last living First World War veteran in the world". Florence Green served in the Women's Royal Air Force during World War I and is alive today, even if working as a Mess steward at a UK air base was not the most warlike of roles. I suggest that the lead should be changed to read that Choules "was the last living First World War veteran to take part in combat from anywhere in the world". Additionally, Green should be mentioned in the body of the article.Greenshed (talk) 23:23, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

I don't see any mention in the article that he actually saw any combat - just that he served aboard a warship.... 66.232.246.92 (talk) 19:02, 6 May 2011 (UTC)


 * Hmm. That is a good point.  As far as I understand it, members of the Women's Royal Air Force were not de jure non-combatants.  The question then is how to distinguish between Choules and Green. Greenshed (talk) 15:45, 8 May 2011 (UTC)


 * "Last male veteran" and "last female veteran," of course. 66.232.246.92 (talk) 01:11, 10 May 2011 (UTC)

How about the bit that says "Choules saw action against a German zeppelin"? Hawkeye7 (talk) 01:49, 10 May 2011 (UTC)


 * That was added some eight hours after I raised the question. 66.232.246.92 (talk) 04:34, 12 May 2011 (UTC)

Medals
He was awarded quite a few medals for both wars. A list would be interesting. Kiltpin (talk) 22:38, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

TS Mercury
Claude was at TS Mercury in Hamble, Hampshire, NOT at HMS Mercury, which did not exist in 1915. Incidentally, I went to TS Mercury in 1958-1961. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.180.57.222 (talk) 08:27, 21 May 2011 (UTC)
 * Thank-you. I've fixed this (I hope) and linked to TS Mercury instead. Carcharoth (talk) 07:07, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

Zeppelin action
The bit about the Zeppelin action is described in Choules' autobiography (which I have a copy of) as part of the brief skirmish known as the Battle of Heligoland Bight (1917). Choules described the damage done to HMS Caledon, but was on board HMS Revenge, describing the action as: "The next morning, we heard gunfire and received reports that our scouting forces were in action. Soon after this, Revenge's foremost turrets, A and B, opened fire and later claimed that they had shot down a German Zeppelin." The only other reference to Zeppelins is to the First Battle Squadron acting as covering battleships for the aircraft carrier HMS Furious in the Tondern raid. The bit currently in the article should probably be rewritten to say more along these lines. Carcharoth (talk) 07:56, 3 October 2011 (UTC)

A source for my claim
I can see that before long, some one is going to point out that a citation is needed for my claim that Reverend Reginald Dean (born November 4, 1902) is now the oldest British-born man. This website:

http://oldestinbritain.webs.com/

states this very clearly. If any one wishes to add this as a source, he or he is welcome to do so. ACEOREVIVED (talk) 16:14, 13 December 2011 (UTC)

Pacifism
His NYT obituary mentions that Mr. Choules was a pacifist. Perhaps include mention of this? http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/06/world/europe/06choules.html — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.105.5.239 (talk) 19:26, 22 November 2012 (UTC)

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