The last known surviving veteran of World War I has died. Florence Green, 110, was a waitress in Britain's Royal Air Force.
"In a way, that the last veteran should be a lady and someone who served on the home front is something that reminds me that warfare is not confined to the trenches," Retired Air Vice-Marshal Peter Dye told Time.
"It reminds us of the Great War, and all warfare since then has been something that involved everyone," Dye, director-general of the RAF Museum, told Time. "It's a collective experience. ... Sadly, whether you are in New York, in London, or in Kandahar, warfare touches all of our lives."
Green was 17 when she joined the Women's Royal Air Force in 1918, two months before the armistice, the BBC reported.
She recalled her wartime experiences in a 2008 interview, retold in Time.
"I met dozens of pilots and would go on dates," she said. "I had the opportunity to go up in one of the planes but I was scared of flying. I would work every hour God sent. But I had dozens of friends on the base and we had a great deal of fun in our spare time. In many ways, I had the time of my life."
Two weeks shy of her 111th birthday, Green died in her sleep Saturday night at a home care facility in King's Lynn, Norfolk, according to the BBC.
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How was she a veteran? She was a waitress! She never saw combat. She wasn't a soldier or pilot. She never killed any Germans. Not trying to be disrespectful to the poor woman, but she simply wasn't a vet. She just worked for the British Royal Air Force. Though technically she did "serve" in the war, hehe.
@john...Though technically she did "serve" in the war, hehe.
Stupid much?
@CenTexan – Stupid? Nah, I'm not from Texas.
I spent 16 years in the U.S. Navy in non-combat roles (women didn't get that type of duty in my day). I never carried a gun, never was stationed on a ship. But I am still a veteran and have the DD-214 to prove it. Many veterans never see combat duty.
why does cnn randomly delete perfectly good posts for no good reason? can't wait to how long it takes this one to be pulled.
RIP Flo ...
Looks liek YOU didn't do too well in history class huh? Bet you know who won American Idol 2 years ago though huh?
That was for JOKESTER not you sorry.
1918?! Did they even have war back then?
It's hard to believe isn't it. Especially since evangelical bible bangers think the earth is barely that old.
Oh man. Proof right here that our education system is broken. I bet you fools were texting or sleeping during history class. I also bet you voted for Obama.
Voted?
Yes, they even had one before it called the Revolutionary War
Bluto says that's when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.
Wow. The internet says there have been lots of wars throughout history. I count at least 7.
I see we have a long, long way to go...
It is a moment of note when the bloodiest conflict in world history is no longer a matter of living memory. RIP all WWI vets – many beloved grandfathers.
And many beloved grandmothers.
Did you read the article?
actually WWII was the bloodiest war in history but i do think the death of this last veteran of the great war is a moment to pause and reflect on where we are today compared to where we were then and wonder if the world we have today is what they thought they were fighting for
@John-117: A "veteran" may not be the same as a "combat veteran", but anyone who served in the military is a Veteran. Women in WWI & WWII did not serve in the same capacity as they do today, they were limited to support roles, whether in the field or back at home. Her non-combat job does not diminish the fact that Ms. Green is a Veteran. BTW – while many of the positions are filled by contractors & TCNs, the military still has some troops who serve in food prep/services...and they deploy.
There were many women combat veterans in the medical corps and throughout the war arena, including women pilots. And many of them were killed in the line of duty. One of the most undervalued and least visited places in monument-heavy metro DC is the Women's Military Service Memorial at the back of the entrance to Arlington Nat. Cemetery, just across the Memorial Bridge from DC into VA.
RIP Flo! Another true hero.
There goes almost 111 years of history.....Thank-you for your service Mrs. Green......RIP
Well said! Can you imagine the stories she could tell? How wondrous that she lived so long, Rest In Peace, and thank you Mrs. Green, may you soar on Angels wings forever.
R I P
Are there ANY people alive who were alive in 1918??? A handful, at best.
Sure, there are! People in their 90's and early 100's abound! Plan for a long life, the actuarial tables tell us that those who are teens today will live longer than 110.
Rest in peace Florence.
Real newsflash: 110 year old woman has handlebar mustache?!?
I knew SOMEONE would stoop to the expected level...grow up already!!
If you're a lady, you will too. If you're a man, you better start shelling out money to wax your wife's mustache when she gets to be 110.
Just to think, the war started from a backfiring Dussenberg in Sarajevo.
She was lucky to have enjoyed such a long, eventful life.
We should be interviewing more of our elderly seniors, it would be a shame to lose all those fascinating memories of a time gone by. Imagine 111 years. That is really something. RIP Flo.
Aaaarrrrhhh! She could have been a pirate on me ship.