HENRY ALLINGHAM, BRITAIN'S OLDEST MAN, DEAD AT 113?

What a paradox of life that "cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women" kept the oldest British man alive for 113 years? Henry Allingham, attributed his longevity to these "vices" and yet medical professionals frown at them and are in tital disbelief? Should humanity embrace his sentiments or heed to the advise to run to the hills from these earthly pleasures? Icheoku says, it depends; but for us, 'if Henry is wrong we don't want to be right', afterall he just proved a credible specimen! What say you?

Born June 6, 1896, Henry was the last surviving original member of the Royal Air Force, which was formed in 1918. Henry Allingham was also one of the only two surviving World War I veterans in Britain; a war which caused about 68 million men and women to be mobilized. The other survivor being Harry Patch, whom Henry joined last year in a ceremony at the Cenotaph war memorial near the houses of Parliament in London, to mark the 90th anniversary of the war's end at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918!

Henry Allingham is survived by five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild. His wife Dorothy died in 1970 and his daughter passed in 2001?

Like most warriors' reluctance to war, Henry Allingham said, "I think we need to make people aware that a few men gave all they had to give so that you could have a better world to live in. We have to pray it never happens again." Icheoku says, he who knows it feels it, which explains the rush to the Iraq war by actors never knew what it is like for bullets to fly at very close range? But warriors as always, are very deliberative and will not unreasonably commit to rush off to wars! Farewell soldier!