ANDREW TURNER MP
The Riverside Centre,
The Town Quay,
Newport IW
[email protected]
TEL: 01983 530808
'Chuckles'
who made me smile
The last veteran to see active service in
the First World War died in Australia
on May 5 at the grand old age of
110. Claude Choules (known as
‘Chuckles’ to his comrades) was born
in March, 1901 and joined the Royal
Navy shortly after his 14th birthday.
He was the last living eye-witness to
some remarkable events. He saw the
surrender of the German fleet in 1918
and watched the Germans scuttle
their own warships at Scapa Flow the
following year to prevent them falling
into British hands.
Mr Choules’s son Adrian recently
spoke about his father’s war
experiences. His father had been
taught to think "that the Germans...
were monsters, terrible people" but
came to realise "they were exactly the
same as any young people". Claude
Choules hated war and believed
it was a terrible thing. That is a
straightforward view – from someone
who knew exactly what he was talking
about. I am always honoured to meet
veterans here on the Island to listen to
their experiences and hear what they
h fRF