Charles Laking
Encyclopedia
Charles Clarence "Clare" Laking (February 21, 1899 – November 26, 2005) was, at age 106, one of the last surviving Canadian
veteran
s of the First World War
. At the time of his death he was believed to have been the last surviving Canadian World War I veteran to have fought on the front lines.
He was born and raised in Campbellville, Ontario
and defied the wishes of his Methodist father when he joined the Canadian field artillery in 1917. He served as a signaller
on the front lines in France
. He received the French Legion of Honour
and a Golden Jubilee Medal
.
He died in Toronto
at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
at the age of 106.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. At the time of his death he was believed to have been the last surviving Canadian World War I veteran to have fought on the front lines.
He was born and raised in Campbellville, Ontario
Campbellville, Ontario
Campbellville, Ontario, Canada is a community in the geographic township of Nassagaweya in the Town of Milton, Halton Region on the Niagara Escarpment and is a tourist destination for residents of the Greater Toronto Area...
and defied the wishes of his Methodist father when he joined the Canadian field artillery in 1917. He served as a signaller
Signaller
In the armed forces, a signaller or signaleer is a specialist soldier or seaman or airman responsible for military communications. Signallers, aka Combat Signallers or signalmen or women, are commonly employed as radio or telephone operators, relaying messages for field commanders at the front line...
on the front lines in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He received the French Legion of Honour
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
and a Golden Jubilee Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2002 to mark the 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II...
.
He died in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, abbreviated SHSC and known simply as Sunnybrook, is an academic health sciences centre located in Toronto, Ontario....
at the age of 106.