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Canada's three remaining First World War veterans are: Lloyd Clemett, 106; Percy Dwight Wilson, 105, and; John Babcock, 105. Time marches on, and these questions are starting to pop up (shared, as usual, in accordance with the "fair dealing" provisions of the Copyright Act)...
http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=bd708c28-ed42-4bf8-8792-550f61f3c23b
Legion urges proper honours for final First World War veteran
'Significant commemoration' sought as 3 vets left
Jennifer Campbell, The Ottawa Citizen. Monday, May 22, 2006
''The Royal Canadian Legion wants the government to host a "significant commemoration" when the last of Canada's First World War veterans dies. The Legion won't go so far as to call for a state funeral, but it wouldn't object to such a move, said Bob Butt, spokesman for Canada's largest veterans organization.
With the November death of Clare Laking, the number of known First World War veterans still living is down to three. Lloyd Clemett, 106, lives at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre's veteran's wing in Toronto. Percy Dwight Wilson, 105, lives in a retirement home in Oshawa and John Babcock, 105, lives at home, in Spokane, Wash. with his wife, Dorothy.
Given the dwindling numbers, and the advanced ages of the remaining three, the topic of what to do when the last First World War veteran passes away has been on the minds of decision-makers at Veterans Affairs.
Janice Summerby, spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs, called the question timely "given the number of veterans we lost in the latter part of 2005." In addition to Mr. Laking, who died in November, at 106, William "Duke" Procter, of Vernon, B.C., died in December at 106 and Lazare Gionet, of New Brunswick, died in April, just shy of his 109th birthday.
Ms. Summerby said Veterans Affairs has been weighing the question since Canada's last Victoria Cross recipient, Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith, died in August and was laid in state on Parliament Hill. Mr. Smith received a hero's farewell that saw people waiting in line for as many as three hours to pay their final respects .... Mr. Smith's tribute represented the first time a non-commissioned officer was honoured with the ritual of lying in state on Parliament Hill. It's a distinction usually reserved for former prime ministers, though the Unknown Soldier, whose remains were brought back to Canada from Vimy Ridge in 2000, was an exception.
"It's a question we have been considering, particularly seeing how the lying in state and funeral for Smokey Smith caught the sympathies of the public," Ms. Summerby said. "Canadians seemed to appreciate the chance to pay their respects and honour his service."
But with respect to the last First World War veterans' service, a decision hasn't been made. "It is fair to say it is on our minds, but not planned," Ms. Summerby said.
She said her department has met with the "main" veterans' organizations, and representatives from the Canadian Forces and Canadian Heritage to come up with a plan, but the minister's office has yet to approve it. And when that happens, the public probably still won't find out about it because the parties have agreed not to publicize any specifics in advance of the passing of the last veteran.
"We want to be sensitive to the surviving families of all three, and to the occasion of their losses," Ms. Summerby said. "All I can say is we want to mark the passing of the remaining veterans appropriately and offer an opportunity for Canadians to mark the time when we no longer have Canadian First World War veterans living among us. It will be the end of an era -- the loss of our living history."
What to do with the last First World War veteran is also a question in Britain, where a campaign for a state funeral recently received government backing. Such a commemoration, dubbed "a national day of mourning and celebration" by British MP Iain Duncan Smith, would include a lying in state and then a service attended by the Queen. It would be the first time a person who lived in relative anonymity received such an honour. The First World War Veterans' Association in Britain is also suggesting a national holiday so schoolchildren of the future will remember the sacrifices.
Ms. Summerby said any plans Veterans Affairs makes would have to be vetted with the last soldier's next-of-kin.
Mr. Clemett's niece, who sees him regularly, said Mr. Clemett had always thought he'd have a military service at the veteran's wing where he lives. As for Mr. Wilson, his son, Paul, isn't sure what he'd like because it wasn't something they'd discussed. And it's not something he's prepared to raise with his father at this point.
"It never occurred to me that they might do something like that," Paul Wilson said. "But I wouldn't have any great objection."
Mr. Wilson's story is interesting because he was only discovered as a First World War veteran a couple of years ago when his recreational therapist requested he receive a Queen's Jubilee Medal after reading about Mr. Laking receiving one.
Mr. Babcock, who has spent the bulk of his long life in the U.S. and even served with the U.S. navy during the Second World War, could not be reached for comment.''
http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=bd708c28-ed42-4bf8-8792-550f61f3c23b
Legion urges proper honours for final First World War veteran
'Significant commemoration' sought as 3 vets left
Jennifer Campbell, The Ottawa Citizen. Monday, May 22, 2006
''The Royal Canadian Legion wants the government to host a "significant commemoration" when the last of Canada's First World War veterans dies. The Legion won't go so far as to call for a state funeral, but it wouldn't object to such a move, said Bob Butt, spokesman for Canada's largest veterans organization.
With the November death of Clare Laking, the number of known First World War veterans still living is down to three. Lloyd Clemett, 106, lives at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre's veteran's wing in Toronto. Percy Dwight Wilson, 105, lives in a retirement home in Oshawa and John Babcock, 105, lives at home, in Spokane, Wash. with his wife, Dorothy.
Given the dwindling numbers, and the advanced ages of the remaining three, the topic of what to do when the last First World War veteran passes away has been on the minds of decision-makers at Veterans Affairs.
Janice Summerby, spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs, called the question timely "given the number of veterans we lost in the latter part of 2005." In addition to Mr. Laking, who died in November, at 106, William "Duke" Procter, of Vernon, B.C., died in December at 106 and Lazare Gionet, of New Brunswick, died in April, just shy of his 109th birthday.
Ms. Summerby said Veterans Affairs has been weighing the question since Canada's last Victoria Cross recipient, Ernest Alvia "Smokey" Smith, died in August and was laid in state on Parliament Hill. Mr. Smith received a hero's farewell that saw people waiting in line for as many as three hours to pay their final respects .... Mr. Smith's tribute represented the first time a non-commissioned officer was honoured with the ritual of lying in state on Parliament Hill. It's a distinction usually reserved for former prime ministers, though the Unknown Soldier, whose remains were brought back to Canada from Vimy Ridge in 2000, was an exception.
"It's a question we have been considering, particularly seeing how the lying in state and funeral for Smokey Smith caught the sympathies of the public," Ms. Summerby said. "Canadians seemed to appreciate the chance to pay their respects and honour his service."
But with respect to the last First World War veterans' service, a decision hasn't been made. "It is fair to say it is on our minds, but not planned," Ms. Summerby said.
She said her department has met with the "main" veterans' organizations, and representatives from the Canadian Forces and Canadian Heritage to come up with a plan, but the minister's office has yet to approve it. And when that happens, the public probably still won't find out about it because the parties have agreed not to publicize any specifics in advance of the passing of the last veteran.
"We want to be sensitive to the surviving families of all three, and to the occasion of their losses," Ms. Summerby said. "All I can say is we want to mark the passing of the remaining veterans appropriately and offer an opportunity for Canadians to mark the time when we no longer have Canadian First World War veterans living among us. It will be the end of an era -- the loss of our living history."
What to do with the last First World War veteran is also a question in Britain, where a campaign for a state funeral recently received government backing. Such a commemoration, dubbed "a national day of mourning and celebration" by British MP Iain Duncan Smith, would include a lying in state and then a service attended by the Queen. It would be the first time a person who lived in relative anonymity received such an honour. The First World War Veterans' Association in Britain is also suggesting a national holiday so schoolchildren of the future will remember the sacrifices.
Ms. Summerby said any plans Veterans Affairs makes would have to be vetted with the last soldier's next-of-kin.
Mr. Clemett's niece, who sees him regularly, said Mr. Clemett had always thought he'd have a military service at the veteran's wing where he lives. As for Mr. Wilson, his son, Paul, isn't sure what he'd like because it wasn't something they'd discussed. And it's not something he's prepared to raise with his father at this point.
"It never occurred to me that they might do something like that," Paul Wilson said. "But I wouldn't have any great objection."
Mr. Wilson's story is interesting because he was only discovered as a First World War veteran a couple of years ago when his recreational therapist requested he receive a Queen's Jubilee Medal after reading about Mr. Laking receiving one.
Mr. Babcock, who has spent the bulk of his long life in the U.S. and even served with the U.S. navy during the Second World War, could not be reached for comment.''