Claude Choules

Claude Choules, born on March third, nineteen oh one, was a remarkable British-born military serviceman hailing from Pershore, Worcestershire. His military journey began with the Royal Navy, where he served from nineteen fifteen until nineteen twenty-six. Following his emigration to Australia, he continued his service with the Royal Australian Navy, dedicating thirty years of his life from nineteen twenty-six to nineteen fifty-six as a chief petty officer.

Choules holds the distinguished title of being the last surviving military witness to the scuttling of the German fleet in Scapa Flow in nineteen nineteen. His legacy extends beyond that, as he was the last surviving veteran to have served in both World Wars. At the time of his passing, he was recognized as the third-oldest verified military veteran globally and the oldest known living man in Australia, as well as the seventh-oldest living man in the world.

Following the death of Stanley Lucas on June twenty-first, two thousand ten, Choules became the oldest man born in the United Kingdom. He lived a remarkable life, passing away at the impressive age of one hundred ten years and sixty-three days. His death marked the end of an era, as he was the oldest British-born man, a title that subsequently passed to the Reverend Reginald Dean.

In recognition of his extraordinary service and longevity, the Royal Australian Navy honored him by naming the landing ship HMAS Choules after him in December two thousand eleven, making it only the second vessel in the navy's history to be named after a sailor.