Ivy Lillian Campany (23 September 1901 – 19 December 2008) was, at the age of 107, the penultimate World War I female military veteran of any country. The last was Florence Green (1901–2012), who was not identified as a veteran of the conflict until January 2010. This meant that Campany was believed to be the conflict's last surviving female veteran by the time of her death in December 2008.[1]

Ivy Campany
Born23 September 1901
Hackney, London
Died19 December 2008 (aged 107)
Margate, Kent, England, UK
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branchQueen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps
Years of serviceunknown
Battles / warsWorld War I
World War II

Biography

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Ivy Lillian Dixon was born in Hackney, London, on 23 September 1901. She had two younger brothers, Leslie and Joseph.[2] By 1911, the family were living in Ramsgate, Kent. She joined the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps during World War I.[2]

Ivy Dixon married Frederick William Campany in 1922 and had a child, Eric William Campany in 1923.[2] Eric worked in an estate agent‟s office before joining the RAF in 1942.[3] He spent a year at a training school in Canada and was a Flight Sergeant in the RAF's 99 Squadron during the Second World War and died of tropical disease in service age 21 on 15 July 1945 in India and is buried in Bhowanipore Cemetery, Kolkata, Plot O. Row C. Grave 49.[4]

Ivy Campany would later serve as a fire watcher in World War II. She lived in Margate, Kent at the time of her death.

References

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  1. ^ Beal, Claire (15 November 2010). "At 108, Florence Green is Britain's oldest war vet". Lynn News. Archived from the original on 7 August 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "We Remember Ivy Lillian Campany", Lives of the First World War, Imperial War Museums.
  3. ^ https://www.margatecivicsociety.org.uk/Margate%20War%20Memorial%20WWII%20Roll%20of%20Honour%20-%20Parts%20I%20&%20II%20rev1.pdf
  4. ^ "Aircrew Deaths 1939 - 1947". Aircrew Remembered site. Retrieved 14 April 2023.