SYDNEY - bretons Claude Choules, the final battle of World War II veteran, died at 110 years in Australia, the last of the military more of 70 million mobilized during the conflict.
Blind and almost completely deaf, Choules, nicknamed "smiling", died at his home in the Perth hostel at night.
"I can confirm that he died." His family said he died at midnight this morning, which is close to the family, told AFP "the Australian Defence Force spokesman Gary Booth."
"It is too early to talk about funeral arrangements."
Booth said that it was the end of an era.
"It was a living part of history and at his death, she has disappeared. There is no more connection with active service personnel.
"It is difficult to imagine all the things that we see in his life - the two world wars, horse and cart to the man on the Moon".
After the death of American Frank Buckles earlier this year, Choules was the last surviving known battle of the great war leaves 37 million soldiers dead or wounded.
The only other veteran survivor of the second world war is supposed to be Florence Green Britain, who served with the Royal Air Force in a combat role and is now 110 years old.
Born in England, Choules served with Royal Navy Britain aboard HMS Impregnable in 1916, at the age of 15 years and witnessed the sinking of the German fleet in Scapa Flow.
He settled in Australia after the war and was seconded to the Royal Australian Navy in 1926.
As the acting torpedo to Fremantle in Western Australia in the second world war, he decided the first German mine wash on Australian soil during the conflict.
He remained with the Navy after the war and spent his last years of work in the lobster industry to safety Bay, South of Perth.
Choules had two daughters, a son, 13 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and two great-back-small-children.
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