French WWI veteran dies at age 108

[flamingyouth]

PARIS - One of France's last World War I veterans, Rene Riffaud, has died at age 108, leaving just three known French survivors of the 1914-18 conflict, the National Veterans Office said Tuesday. Riffaud died overnight Tuesday, said Marie-Georges Vingadassalon, a spokeswoman for the office.

Of the three surviving World War I veterans, the oldest — Louis de Cazenave — is 109, according to the veterans' office.

Only belatedly, in 2006, did France recognize Riffaud as a veteran of the war, giving him an official veteran's card after his granddaughter brought his case to the government's attention.

In a November interview with The Associated Press before attending Armistice Day commemorations in Paris, Riffaud played down his war role.



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070116/ap_on_re_eu/obit_wwi_veteran

[Fenris]

1. Amazing! 108!

[kestrel91316]

2. What a dapper young man! Love the photo.

[Alexander]

3. So he lived in 3 different centuries...

And two different millenia.

[fladonkey]

Great photo!

[fladonkey]

4. Great photo!

[flamingyouth]

8. I know!

I had to include it - I love the curule-style chair too.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. I wonder how many people born in the 19th century are alive today.

The number is probably going to become zero around 2016 or so.

[cureautismnow]

9. Interesting.

I wonder when the last person born in the 18th century died. 191? or 192? :shrug:

I do know that Bush-boy is the last survivor of the 20th century - B.C. :rimshot:

[demosincebirth]

5. A little bit of information about WW1

France lost 1.3 million soldiers during the war. He was one of the lucky ones.


http://europeanhistory.about.com/library/weekly/blww1castable.htm

[bleedingheart]

6. How the world changed from the time he was a child til now...

are we any better I wonder?

Imagine how fascinating to see the world change like it did and to have been one of the few lucky survivors of two world wars that literally played out in his country.

Hell his own generation suffered great casualties and he was lucky to be alive.

[Faygo Kid]

11. 1898: Queen Victoria, Spanish-American War, first auto accident death

Also born that year: Golda Meir, M.C. Escher, George Gershwin. And Henry Lindfield dies in England, becoming the world's first fatality from an automobile accident. My grandmother was three years old (she died in 1974). Babe Ruth and my grandmother were three years old. Long time ago.

[Faygo Kid]

10. I read we are down to a handful of U.S. WWI veterans - why no story?

Who could resist reading about the last of the last? I am surprised no magazine or newspaper has written what would be fabulous history and a great human interest story. Maybe a reminder that once upon a time we had a conflict called "the war to end all wars" might dampen some of the hubris of those so anxious to extend this one to Iran.

[Stewie]

12. Saw a story on it back during Veteran's Day.

Did some Googling and there is an attempt to keep a list of surviving "Great War" veterans on Wikipedia. There are believed to be only 10 surviving vets here in the U.S.

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

[Faygo Kid]

13. Wow. Thanks. About 40 WWI vets survive worldwide.

What's scary to me is that Monsieur Riffaud was 52 when I was born, obviously younger than I am now. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.