CRANWELL , England ( CNN ) -- Britain 's oldest man and the oldest living veteran of World War I was celebrating his 112th birthday Friday with a party and a fly-past at an air force base . Henry Allingham at a 90th anniversary celebration of the Royal Air Force this year . Henry Allingham is the last surviving member of the Royal Naval Air Service , which he joined in 1915 . He saw action at the Battle of Jutland off Denmark the following year , according to the Ministry of Defense . Allingham is also the last surviving founding member of the Royal Air Force , which was created in 1918 , nine months before the end of the war . He left the service a year later , the defense ministry said . Friday 's events were happening at the Royal Air Force base in Cranwell , England , about 120 miles north of London . Friends of his at the base said Allingham , who arrived in a wheelchair , was looking `` fresh . '' After a birthday lunch , aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight , an aerial display team , planned to fly overhead , the base said . Members of the Falcons Parachute Display Team then planned to drop in and present Allingham with a birthday card from the chief of Britain 's air staff . Allingham is Britain 's oldest man and the oldest surviving member of the armed forces , according to Guinness World Records . The former aircraft engineer still travels and makes public appearances at military events and commemorations . In July , Allingham had a private audience with Queen Elizabeth and attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace . In November , he laid a wreath in St. Omer , France -- where he was stationed during the war -- to celebrate Armistice Day , the end of World War I. Allingham said last year that he remains active to emphasize the importance of remembering the conflict . `` I do n't do these things because I enjoy doing them but to keep the memory alive of all my comrades who fought and died in the First World War , '' he told the Ministry of Defense .
Britain 's oldest man , oldest veteran from World War I , celebrates his 112th birthday . Henry Allingham last founding member of the Royal Air Force , formed in 1918 . - - # ##man still travels , makes public appearances at military events .