Final portraits of Henry Allingham and Harry Patch to be sold for charity

Dan Llywelyn Hall’s ‘From Armistice to Afghanistan’, a display of 25 drawings and paintings of both current and former service men and women including the final portraits of the last two WW1 veterans, Henry Allingham and Harry Patch, is to open tomorrow in London.

All renderings in the exhibition will be for sale, with 75 per cent of the proceeds being donated to St Dunstan’s, a charitable organisation that aids blind ex-servicemen and women, and to the Royal British Legion.

The portrait of Henry Allingham was completed days before his death in July earlier this year. He was the world’s oldest man at 113. Born 6 June 1896, Mr Allingham grew up in Clapham, London, and he joined the war effort in 1915 after the death of his mother. During WW11, he served in a reserved occupation, and he successfully aided in the neutralising of mines, so that the port of Harwich, Essex could reopen. At his time of death, Henry Allingham left behind six younger generations, down to his one great-great-great-great-grandchild.

Dan Llywelyn Hall was also the last to paint Harry Patch, who also died in July. Aged 111, Harry Patch was the third oldest man in the world and, after Henry Allingham’s death, became the last surviving veteran of WW1, nicknamed ‘the Last Tommy’. Hailing from Somerset, he was conscripted in 1916, and during the war received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

‘From Armistice to Afghanistan’ takes place from 10 – 22 December and is held at the Tower Bridge Business Centre, London.