Henry Allingham Made to Last

Henry Allingham

July 16, 2009,
Henry Allingham,
the world’s oldest man,
died at the age of 113.

In a world where things wear out fast,
it seemed as if Henry Allingham
was made to last!

Henry Allingham, of course,
was a founding member
of what they call
the modern Royal Air Force.

Born in the East End of London
during the reign of Queen Victoria,
way over a century ago,
when things were properly done.

He joined the Royal Naval Air Service
as an aircraft mechanic in 1915.
He never forgot a duty to protect,
whether active duty or reservist.

Allingham was the last survivor
of the Battle of Jutland,
the greatest engagement
of the First Great War.

The skirmish holds the record
for the most gun-armed battleships
engaged in any fight,
though death was the only reward.

Sent to France’s shores,
in 1917, Allingham
was soon standing strong,
supporting the Royal Flying Corps.

His job as a mechanic
was to service aircraft
and recover parts from planes
smitten by the dreaded Germanic force.

Pilots would often ask their wrenchmen
to sit in the back seat
and hand-drop iron bombs
or shoot the machine-gun again and again.

Allingham served to stem the German advance
in the fields of Flanders until November 1917,
when moved to the aircraft depot
at Dunkirk, France.

In a world where things wear out fast,
it seemed as if Henry Allingham
was made to last!

When the First Great War
was over and peace came,
Allingham remained a reservist,
hungering to serve more.

In the lean years of the 1930s,
Henry kept supporting his country,
loving that green island
in the stormy seas.

He learned science and engineering,
and how to build motors,
boats, and better machines
from a handful of gearing.

During the Second Great War,
he was called on to free the harbor of Harwich,
hemmed by German mines,
letting ships through no more.

Allingham and his crew fabricated
a system to neutralize
the dreaded explosives.
Every English ship steamed ahead!

In a world where things wear out fast,
it seemed as if Henry Allingham
was made to last!

His dedication to the military
and the memory of fallen troops never wavered,
a sure lesson to us
here in the land of the free.

Old Henry couldn’t walk anymore,
but he still went to all the memorial events.
“Remember our fallen men!”
he would earnestly implore.

When asked how he would like his legacy spread,
Allingham insisted people
should remember those who died in the wars.
“Think of them, not me!” he said.

In France’s Legion of Honor in 2003,
he was made a chevalier,
and was promoted to officer this year.
Finally, honor and infamy!

While giving Henry the awards,
the French ambassador to Britain
thanked him on behalf of President Nicolas Sarkozy
for protecting France during both Great Wars.

In a world where things wear out fast,
it seemed as if Henry Allingham
was made to last!

The Royal Navy of England
celebrated Allingham’s 113th birthday
by throwing him a party aboard the HMS President,
the largest warship in the land.

A birthday cake and card,
and decanter of Pusser’s Rum,
of which Mr. Allingham drank,
were presented by the Queen’s Royal Guard.

He is survived by five generations,
who mourn this great man today,
but thank him for keeping England
illuminated by the rays of the sun.

In a world where things wear out fast,
we were blessed with Henry Allingham,
a man who was truly made to last!

“As well as possessing a great spirit of fun,
he represented the last of a great generation.
He was a great character and will be missed.”
At the end, the shots echoed, a 21-gun salute.

_____________________________

Lou Marin, a Christian grateful for Jesus’ gift to him, was born and raised in the western hills of Maine, then spent 20 plus years wandering the country and world in the United States Air Force. Maine Department of American Legion’s Historian, he is a photographer and stringer for The Maine Trust for Local News, published poet and short story writer who pens faith based devotionals. He lives in Rumford, Maine. He is author of an anthology of poems based upon his military career entitled “Dimly Seen Through The Mists,” and a book of faith based poems entitled “My Lighthouse In Troubled Times,” available through Pen It! Publications.

Lou can be reached at mbsphotog@yahoo.com or his Facebook Page.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.