Lazare Ponticelli ( born 7 December 1897 - 12 March 2008 ) was a French World War I veteran who died in 2008 . Lazare Ponticelli ( 24 December 1897 , later transcribed as 7 December â '' 12 March 2008 ) , Knight of Vittorio Veneto , was the last surviving officially recognized veteran of the First World War from France and the last poilu of its trenches to die .