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| WWI veteran Patch dies aged 111 | WWI veteran Patch dies aged 111 |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The last British survivor of the World War I trenches, Harry Patch, has died at the age of 111. | The last British survivor of the World War I trenches, Harry Patch, has died at the age of 111. |
| Mr Patch was conscripted into the Army aged 18 and fought in the Battle of Passchendaele at Ypres in 1917 in which more than 70,000 British soldiers died. | Mr Patch was conscripted into the Army aged 18 and fought in the Battle of Passchendaele at Ypres in 1917 in which more than 70,000 British soldiers died. |
| He was raised in Combe Down, near Bath, and had been living at a care home in Wells, Somerset. | He was raised in Combe Down, near Bath, and had been living at a care home in Wells, Somerset. |
| The sole British survivor of the war is former seaman Claude Choules, who is aged 108 and lives in Perth, Australia. | |
| 'Great man' | 'Great man' |
| Mr Choules, who is originally from Worcestershire, saw service with the Royal Navy. | Mr Choules, who is originally from Worcestershire, saw service with the Royal Navy. |
| Henry Allingham, who served in the navy and the RAF in WWI, died at the age of 113 a week ago. | Henry Allingham, who served in the navy and the RAF in WWI, died at the age of 113 a week ago. |
| Prince Charles spoke of the terrible conditions faced by soldiers during WWI | Prince Charles spoke of the terrible conditions faced by soldiers during WWI |
| Mr Patch's biographer Richard Van Emden said he passed away at 0850 BST on Saturday. | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "I had the honour of meeting Harry, and I share his family's grief at the passing of a great man. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "I had the honour of meeting Harry, and I share his family's grief at the passing of a great man. |
| "I know that the whole nation will unite today to honour the memory, and to take pride in the generation that fought the Great War. | "I know that the whole nation will unite today to honour the memory, and to take pride in the generation that fought the Great War. |
| "The noblest of all the generations has left us, but they will never be forgotten. We say today with still greater force - 'We will remember them'." | "The noblest of all the generations has left us, but they will never be forgotten. We say today with still greater force - 'We will remember them'." |
| 'Remained loyal' | 'Remained loyal' |
| The Prince of Wales said nothing could give him greater pride than paying tribute to Mr Patch. | The Prince of Wales said nothing could give him greater pride than paying tribute to Mr Patch. |
| He told the BBC: "Harry was involved in numerous bouts of heavy fighting on the front line but amazingly remained unscathed for a while. | He told the BBC: "Harry was involved in numerous bouts of heavy fighting on the front line but amazingly remained unscathed for a while. |
| VERIFIED WWI VETERANS Claude Choules, 108 - British (lives in Australia)John Babcock, 109 - CanadianFrank Buckles, 108 - American | VERIFIED WWI VETERANS Claude Choules, 108 - British (lives in Australia)John Babcock, 109 - CanadianFrank Buckles, 108 - American |
| "Tragically one night in September 1917 when in the morass in the Ypres Salient a German shrapnel shell burst overhead badly wounding Harry and killing three of his closest friends. | "Tragically one night in September 1917 when in the morass in the Ypres Salient a German shrapnel shell burst overhead badly wounding Harry and killing three of his closest friends. |
| "In spite of the comparatively short time that he served with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, Harry always cherished the extraordinary camaraderie that the appalling conditions engendered in the battalion and remained loyal to the end." | "In spite of the comparatively short time that he served with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, Harry always cherished the extraordinary camaraderie that the appalling conditions engendered in the battalion and remained loyal to the end." |
| Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, said: "He was the last of a generation that in youth was steadfast in its duty in the face of cruel sacrifice and we give thanks for his life - as well as those of his comrades - for upholding the same values and freedom that we continue to cherish and fight for today." | Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, said: "He was the last of a generation that in youth was steadfast in its duty in the face of cruel sacrifice and we give thanks for his life - as well as those of his comrades - for upholding the same values and freedom that we continue to cherish and fight for today." |
| 'Rewarding people' | 'Rewarding people' |
| Mr Patch was born on 17 June 1898 and left school at the age of 15 to train as a plumber. | Mr Patch was born on 17 June 1898 and left school at the age of 15 to train as a plumber. |
| He was a machine-gunner in the trenches and served as a private from June to September 1917. | He was a machine-gunner in the trenches and served as a private from June to September 1917. |
| Mr Patch was conscripted into the Army aged 18 | Mr Patch was conscripted into the Army aged 18 |
| Mr Patch was at the time of his death the oldest man in Europe and the third oldest man in the world, according to the Ministry of Defence. | Mr Patch was at the time of his death the oldest man in Europe and the third oldest man in the world, according to the Ministry of Defence. |
| He was married twice, first in 1919 in Hadley, Shropshire, to Ada which lasted 60 years, and then to Jean when he was 81. He had two sons with Ada, Dennis and Roy, both of whom he outlived. | He was married twice, first in 1919 in Hadley, Shropshire, to Ada which lasted 60 years, and then to Jean when he was 81. He had two sons with Ada, Dennis and Roy, both of whom he outlived. |
| Mr Van Emden said Mr Patch "had a sparkle about him" and was "one of the most rewarding people to be with". | Mr Van Emden said Mr Patch "had a sparkle about him" and was "one of the most rewarding people to be with". |
| "He was the last of that generation and the poignancy of that is almost overwhelming. He remembered all of those who died and suffered and every time he was honoured he knew it was for all of those who fought," he said. | "He was the last of that generation and the poignancy of that is almost overwhelming. He remembered all of those who died and suffered and every time he was honoured he knew it was for all of those who fought," he said. |
| 'True gentleman' | 'True gentleman' |
| Mr Patch's friend Lesley Ross said she felt great affection towards him. | Mr Patch's friend Lesley Ross said she felt great affection towards him. |
| BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE The battle lasted from 31 July to 6 November 1917An initial bombardment of German positions involved 4.5m shells and 3,000 gunsThe battle was infamous for the mud - shelling had churned clay soil and smashed drainsThe heaviest rain for 30 years made the mud so deep that men and horses drownedThe battle ended when British and Canadian forces captured PasschendaeleThe village was barely five miles beyond the starting point of the offensiveThere were a total of 325,000 Allied and 260,000 German casualties | BATTLE OF PASSCHENDAELE The battle lasted from 31 July to 6 November 1917An initial bombardment of German positions involved 4.5m shells and 3,000 gunsThe battle was infamous for the mud - shelling had churned clay soil and smashed drainsThe heaviest rain for 30 years made the mud so deep that men and horses drownedThe battle ended when British and Canadian forces captured PasschendaeleThe village was barely five miles beyond the starting point of the offensiveThere were a total of 325,000 Allied and 260,000 German casualties |
| "Extremely modest, dignified gentleman, with a slightly wicked sense of humour and considerate to everybody he met. Very polite and I would sum him up as a true gentleman," she said. | "Extremely modest, dignified gentleman, with a slightly wicked sense of humour and considerate to everybody he met. Very polite and I would sum him up as a true gentleman," she said. |
| The Ministry of Defence said there would be a funeral cortege through Wells followed by a service at Wells Cathedral. | The Ministry of Defence said there would be a funeral cortege through Wells followed by a service at Wells Cathedral. |
| The Fletcher House care home said in a statement it extended its deepest sympathies to Mr Patch's family and friends. | The Fletcher House care home said in a statement it extended its deepest sympathies to Mr Patch's family and friends. |
| Andrew Larpent, chief executive of Somerset Care, said Mr Patch died peacefully in his bed having been unwell for some time. | Andrew Larpent, chief executive of Somerset Care, said Mr Patch died peacefully in his bed having been unwell for some time. |
| "His friends and his family have been here. He just quietly slipped away at 9am this morning," he said. | "His friends and his family have been here. He just quietly slipped away at 9am this morning," he said. |
| "It was how he would have wanted it, without having to be moved to hospitals but here, peacefully with his friends and carers." | "It was how he would have wanted it, without having to be moved to hospitals but here, peacefully with his friends and carers." |