- Léon Weil
Léon Roger Weil (
July 16 ,1896 –June 6 ,2006 ) was one of the last two surviving veterans of the battle ofVal-de-Marne in the First World War. He was almost 110 when he died at theVal-de-Grâce military hospital inParis ,France .Joining the army when he was 20 years old, he was assigned to the fifth battalion of
Chasseurs alpins (cinquième bataillon de chasseurs alpins) inAlsace and took part in 1917 in the battle ofChemin des Dames . More than 150,000 people died during this battle. He was also aFrench Resistance fighter during the Second World War under the code name of "Victor". After the war, he worked as a sales representative in the women's fashion industry. An avid fan of theatre and boxing (he was quite a good boxer in his younger days), he continued to swim until the age of 102.At the time of his death he was one of the last seven surviving officially recognized French veterans of World War I.
ee also
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Veterans of the First World War who died in 2006 External links
* [http://perso.orange.fr/memoire78/pages/weil.html Photo and details]
* [http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2006/6/7/apworld/20060607191218&sec=apworld The Star, Malaysia. Death of Leon Weil, 109, leaves France with six surviving veterans of World War I]
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