Harry Patch , who died aged 111 on 25 July 2009 was known as the `` Last Tommy '' because he was the last surviving British soldier who fought in World War I. On 25 July 2009 , the death of the last Tommy from World War I , Harry Patch ( at 111 the oldest man in the United Kingdom and also in Europe ) , left Claude Choules as the last serviceman of the British forces in World War I.