had the privilege of meeting Henry many times , '' said Brown . `` He was a tremendous character , one of the last representatives of a generation of tremendous characters . My thoughts are with his family as they mourn his passing but celebrate his life . '' Born in the East End of London during the reign of Queen Victoria , Allingham was brought up by his mother and grandparents . His father died when he was a baby . He joined the Royal Naval Air Service as an aircraft mechanic in 1915 after his mother died . Allingham was the last known survivor of the Battle of Jutland , considered the greatest battle of World War I . He was serving aboard the armed trawler HMT Kingfisher , which was sent to meet up with the British fleet as it fought the Germans off what is now mainland Denmark . The battle still holds the record for the most gun-armed battleships and battlecruisers engaged in a fight , according to Britain 's Ministry of Defence . In 1917 Allingham was sent to France to support the Royal Flying Corps . His job as a mechanic was to
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Henry Allingham , the world 's oldest man and the oldest surviving British veteran from World War I , has died at the age of 113 , his care home said Saturday . Henry Allingham was a founding member of the modern Royal Air Force . Allingham died in his sleep at St. Dunstan 's care home in Ovingdean , England , the home said in a statement . Born on June 6 , 1896 , Allingham was active until his final days , having celebrated his 113th birthday last month on the HMS President with his family , the care home said . The Guinness Book of World Records Certified Allingham as the world 's oldest man last month , St. Dunstan 's said . Britain 's Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister Gordon Brown both paid their respects to Allingham on Saturday . `` The queen was saddened to hear of the death of Henry Allingham . He was one of the unique generation who sacrificed so much for us all . Our thoughts are with his family at this time , '' Buckingham Palace said in a statement . `` I