Claude Choules, the last surviving combat veteran of World War I celebrated his 110th birthday with family and friends in Perth earlier this month.   Though he served in two World Wars, the first in the Royal Navy and the second in the Australian Navy, he hated war according to his son, who said that he only marched in Anzac Day parades when he was ordered to.

Claude Choules, last World War I veteran ‘hated war,’ says son

He’s the last known male survivor of more than 70 million military personnel during WWI, after American veteran Frank Buckles passed away on Sunday also aged 110.

Born in England in 1901, Mr Choules served with Britain’s Royal Navy onboard the HMS Impregnable in 1916 at the age of 15.

The only other surviving WWI veteran is believed to be Britain’s Florence Green, who served with the Royal Air Force in a non-combat role and is now aged 110.

Mr Choules released his autobiography in 2009 titled The Last of the Last, depicting his childhood and move to Australia, as well as his times at war.

Mr Choules, who is now blind and almost completely deaf, now lives in a nursing home.

He and his wife, who passed away at the age of 98, had two daughters and a son.

Thanks to Alaric Bond for passing the article along.