jack july february age known surviving veteran canadian military served world war death conflict oldest surviving veteran attempted join army age turned sent work halifax placed august transferred united_kingdom continued training end war having seen combat consider veteran moved united_states 1920s joined united_states_army eventually following death surviving veteran world war served canadian forces point received international attention including birthday queen elizabeth_ii governor general canada canadian prime minister death february early life born family thirteen children farm ontario according barn born longer exists located highway father died tree cutting accident years old described account given father cutting tree dead tree fell shoulder brought house survived hours said awful blow family school concern earn high school diploma age growing area claims didn admits fun place grow fishing hunting swimming especially local order pass time kids age return area wartime experiences soon left united_states relatives continue work farm named crater remnant strike community grew greatly respect john world war age half impressed perth road recruiting officers lieutenant sergeant quoted poem charge light brigade offered salary day opposed cents physical labour recruited ontario joined sent quebec underwent physical discovered designated status physically fit time minimum age combat eighteen turned managed way halifax train stopped company commander halifax sent city peacetime barracks wrestled freight large army vehicles dug ditches tired work took opportunity volunteer recruits called claiming age officials quickly discovered placed reserve battalion known boys young soldiers battalion august undertook ocean voyage england liverpool stationed sent sea trained veterans battles france trained recruits hours day spare time went leave scotland met girlfriend woman introduced pleasures beer war older veterans come asserts fought conflict given chance war ended brought lines reason claims felt like real soldier rarely talked experiences centenary joined veterans associations experiences brother enlisted john served engineers suffered nervous breakdown war eyes psychological problems occurred war recalls instance soldier shot comrades discovered emigrated germany ran bayonet pack drill recounted importance honesty case comrades stole dollar watch received months prison cites example strict discipline military structure march promoted acting corporal reduced rank private neglect duty october year restored acting lance corporal soldiers holding acting ranks canadian forces receive salary rank restored previous rank time lack necessary training experience hold position permanently canada wartime individuals promoted acting ranks order meet service requirements world war relatives united_states paid head tax moved received pension totaled shortly conflict took advantage veteran training native country ran small light plant home neighborhood later career industrial supply salesman united_states united_states citizen serving united_states_army achieving rank sergeant lost canadian citizenship canadian law prior limited dual citizenship attack pearl harbor december attempted sign active duty army flying service united_states_air_force formed turned old spent world war united_states_army duty stations located washington age pilot good mental physical health displayed ability quickly alphabet backwards spell daily walks wife shape age wrote autobiography titled decades distributed family friends married twice woman nearly thirty years junior met taking care wife dying son daughter grandchildren great grandchildren matt army iraq iraq war john resided washington lived death family younger sister died july age surviving canadian veteran death known canadian veteran world war proud status surviving veteran feel need honoured specific state funeral instead opinion commemorate instead quoted saying sure attention getting isn spectacular received attention occasion birthday wishes queen elizabeth_ii queen canada joked nice looking gal governor general prime minister foreign affairs minister member parliament british_columbia visited personally deliver gifts birthday wife went favourite meal french gifts received adorned poppy pattern symbol world war hometown mayor sent letter local coffee shop named local blend jack invited opening pentagon exhibit march featuring photos world war veterans unable attend time veterans pictured alive american participate event visited canadian officials wrote prime minister interested regaining canadian citizenship letter hand delivered cabinet meeting request approved prime minister signed governor general officials flown complete swearing ceremony year participated canadian remembrance day ceremonies appearing video symbolically pass torch remembrance urging people hold high credited longevity intense physical training received united_states canadian armies died february age having october following case pneumonia cremated remains scattered pacific_northwest governor general jean prime minister harper statements shortly death anniversary april canada monarch queen elizabeth_ii issued statement marking events stating proud grateful canadians pause today mark ninety anniversary nation victory ridge pay tribute passing truly remarkable generation helped end terrible conflict world known local ontario collection world war items display including roll honour
John Babcock