OLDEST WAR VETERAN

Evening Star, Issue 19006, 30 July 1925, Page 9

OLDEST WAR VETERAN

SIXTY-SEVEN YEARS AT SEA. The oldest man, so far as is known, who served in the Great War was playing bowls in the grounds of the Royal Alfred Homo, Belverdeno, Kent, when an interviewer found him recently. Ho 5s Mr John Cunningham aged eightythree, and he retired after his last voyage three years ago at the supposed age of sixty-five, moyoncl which few men are employed iu the merchant service. Actually he spent sixty-seven years at sea. . “ When the war broke out I was at |ea.” Mr Cunningham said. “ I had no wish to retire, so 1 declared to put ray age back fifteen years. During the whole of the war I was on troopships. I helped to bring the first great Australian convoy to Europe, and made journeys to and from the Mediterranean.

“ I had no exciting adventures except when my ship struck a mine near Boulogne. As a result I have since suffered a little from bronchitis, but there’s nothing the matter with me except a touch of cold. All 1 want is warm weather; having spent so much of my life in hot climates, I feel the cold.”

Mr Cunningham, who is a bachelor, is one of the 100 inmates of the Boy a I Alfred Home for old merchant seamen. His last voyage was as quartermaster of the Gloucester, a Union-Castle liner. With him will be fifteen -other old sailors, all of whom served at sea throughout the wax. These old .sailors look remarkably well for their age, and most of them .take an active part m the life of tho beautiful home on the hills above Woolwich. One of them has just finished pruning the fruit trees. All of them enjoy bowls, in which Mr Cunningham excels.