Last German WWI Veteran dies

August · 01-07-08, 11:54 AM

My Great Grandfather was a soldier in the Kaisers army and at 28 years old gave his life for his country exactly 90 years ago on October 3rd of this year (survived 4 years of hellish war only to get killed a little over a month before the end). Wish i could have met him...

CCIP · 01-07-08, 12:21 PM

That's a really sad and sobering piece of news. Veterans like this have always had a special meaning for me. Things like this should really be commemorated more openly. I hope this is a fact that won't be lost on people this coming Nov 11th.

Of course after such a long life, it's hard to say that it wasn't his time. A well-deserved peace, I should hope, after what he has been through!

Letum · 01-07-08, 01:34 PM

I knew my great grandfather at 102 years of age. A vetran from both wars.

Tchocky · 01-07-08, 01:37 PM

A possible distant relative of mine, serving in the RNVR went down on the SS Normandy, torpedoed in January 1918.
Simply put, our names are identical, and his parents lived a few miles from where my paternal grandfather was born. My surname is rather unusual in this part of the country, so it looks likely that we're related.

Quote:

SS Normandy, 618grt, defensively-armed, 25 January 1918, 8 miles E by N from Cape La Hague, torpedoed without warning and sunk by submarine, 14 lives lost

The submarine involved was the U-90, that later sank the President Lincoln

XXi · 01-07-08, 02:23 PM

Personally, I do not know much about my ancestors` service during WWI, except few things. First, one of my Greatgrandfathers served in the German Army in the Western Front but all I know is the fact he survived. The other one was in the Russian Army in the same time and after the bolshevik revolution he escaped from Russia with all his family through Ukraine to reach Poland. My uncle`s Grandfather in the same time fought against the Red Army as Lieutenant of the White Army, served under baron Wrangl and has been evacuated from the Crimea by ship shortly before collapse of the White Army there.

CCIP --> indeed, this is a sad news. The fact how fast their numbers are falling is no better - only one year ago, there were a dozen of German WWI Veterans alone. And now...

On the other hand though, there`s something positive in fact they have been with us for such long time, concerning the fact the Great War has ended nearly 90 years ago.

01-07-08, 02:30 PM

What was Dr Erich Kaestner's record in that war? Was he a front soldier or officer? Just wondering.

baggygreen · 01-07-08, 04:53 PM

My fear is that once these old fellas are gone... what they did will be forgotten. sure, not in 5, or even 10 years. but in 20 or 30 years....

CCIP · 01-08-08, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wave Skipper

What was Dr Erich Kaestner's record in that war? Was he a front soldier or officer? Just wondering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_K...r_I_veteran%29

By the description it certainly appears that he fought - and in both wars at that!

01-07-08, 11:54 AM	#1
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,217 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	My Great Grandfather was a soldier in the Kaisers army and at 28 years old gave his life for his country exactly 90 years ago on October 3rd of this year (survived 4 years of hellish war only to get killed a little over a month before the end). Wish i could have met him... __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

01-07-08, 12:21 PM	#2
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	That's a really sad and sobering piece of news. Veterans like this have always had a special meaning for me. Things like this should really be commemorated more openly. I hope this is a fact that won't be lost on people this coming Nov 11th. Of course after such a long life, it's hard to say that it wasn't his time. A well-deserved peace, I should hope, after what he has been through! __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

01-07-08, 01:34 PM	#3
Letum Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: York - UK Posts: 6,079 Downloads: 43 Uploads: 0	I knew my great grandfather at 102 years of age. A vetran from both wars. __________________

01-07-08, 02:23 PM	#5
XXi Ensign Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Warsaw, Poland / Nagoya, Japan Posts: 227 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	Personally, I do not know much about my ancestors` service during WWI, except few things. First, one of my Greatgrandfathers served in the German Army in the Western Front but all I know is the fact he survived. The other one was in the Russian Army in the same time and after the bolshevik revolution he escaped from Russia with all his family through Ukraine to reach Poland. My uncle`s Grandfather in the same time fought against the Red Army as Lieutenant of the White Army, served under baron Wrangl and has been evacuated from the Crimea by ship shortly before collapse of the White Army there. CCIP --> indeed, this is a sad news. The fact how fast their numbers are falling is no better - only one year ago, there were a dozen of German WWI Veterans alone. And now... On the other hand though, there`s something positive in fact they have been with us for such long time, concerning the fact the Great War has ended nearly 90 years ago. __________________ lasciate ogni speranza... voi, chi entrate

01-07-08, 02:30 PM	#6
Wave Skipper Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	What was his record? What was Dr Erich Kaestner's record in that war? Was he a front soldier or officer? Just wondering.

01-07-08, 04:53 PM	#7
baggygreen Sea Lord Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canberra, ACT, Down Under (really On Top) Posts: 1,880 Downloads: 7 Uploads: 0	My fear is that once these old fellas are gone... what they did will be forgotten. sure, not in 5, or even 10 years. but in 20 or 30 years....