Today the Trenches of The Great War Passed from Living Memory into History.

[mbarrick]

Last of Canada's WWI front-line vets dies at 106
Mon Nov 28, 2005 2:39 PM ET


TORONTO (Reuters) - The last Canadian veteran of the First World War's front lines has died. He was 106.

Clarence "Clare" Laking, who was a field artillery private during the 1914-18 war, died in a Toronto hospital on Saturday.

He enlisted in the army at 18 against his father's wishes, according to a hospital statement, and served with the Canadian Field Artillery, 27th Battery 4th Brigade.

He was paid C$1.10 a day and his unenviable duty was to run on to the battlefield when the first enemy shell hit and call in the location of its impact to allied gunners.

After the war, Laking farmed in Alberta and then moved to Toronto. He had a driver's license until he was 102 and had season tickets for the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs until he was 100, the hospital said.

He had two children, four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

There are four other Canadian survivors of the First World War armed forces but none of them saw battle.

"Of the four (veterans) now remaining we know they were young and never saw action," Janice Summerby, spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs Canada, said on Monday.

Comments

[violetdoll.livejournal.com]

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[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

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