Mourners honour death of last Canadian First World War veteran

First World War veteran John 'Jack' Babcock, seen here in February 2008, has died, the Prime Minister's Office announced Thursday, Feb. 18. He was 109. Babcock, who enlisted at 15, was the last remaining First World War veteran for Canada.

Photograph by: Brian J Gavriloff, Edmonton Journal

SPOKANE, Wash — When Jack Babcock joined the Canadian Army at the age of 15, it’s likely he never imagined that he’d be the last soldier standing more than 94 years later.
But that’s exactly what Babcock was when he died Feb. 18, at the age of 109.
Babcock was remembered Saturday afternoon at a memorial service at Messiah Lutheran Church in his hometown of Spokane, Wash.
The service was attended by a list of Canada’s top dignitaries.
Babcock was the last Canadian veteran of the First World War, and the last link to what many Canadians consider the country’s coming-of-age.


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