Oldest Surviving Veteran of WW1 Receives Freedom of Eastbourne
Henry Allingham, surviving veteran of WW1 will receive the honour of Freedom of the Town at Eastbourne Town Hall in a Civic Ceremony at 6pm on Tuesday 28th March 2006. It was agreed to bestow Henry with the award at a special meeting of the full Council in January of this year.
The Worshipful the Mayor of Eastbourne, Councillor Graham Marsden, says, “It is a great pleasure to be able to bestow the Freedom of Eastbourne upon Henry Allingham. He is a man of distinction and most worthy of the honour. He has served his country well, is a first class ambassador for the town, and, despite his great age, still has a tremendous zest for life.”
Resident of Eastbourne Henry Allingham is a World War I Veteran, last surviving member of the British Air Services and the last founder member of the Royal Air Force. He is the last known survivor of the Battle of Jutland and has already been awarded the Gold Medal of St Omer and the Legion of Honour. At the age of 109, Mr Allingham is the oldest man in Britain. Mr Allingham is being honoured with the Freedom in recognition of his connection with the town.
Mr Allingham served as a Royal Naval Air Service Mechanic, flying patrols of the North Sea as a navigator as well as repairing aircraft and engines at the battles of the Somme and Ypres.
