A pencil drawing of Henry Allingham, bust length, turned to the right; with eyes closed and head bowed. Initials inscribed, lower right.

Henry Allingham was born in 1897. His early career making bodywork for cars led him to enlist in the Royal Naval Air Service as an air mechanic, before becoming a founder member of the Royal Air Force on its inception in 1918. He was awarded the French Légion d’Honneur and the Freedom of the Town of St Omer. On his death on 18 July 2009 he was the world’s oldest man.

Dan Llywelyn Hall met Henry Allingham in June 2009, and made five drawings of him in a two-hour sitting. During this time he was struck by the ‘engaging, charismatic presence’ of Mr Allingham, who spent the sitting singing and drinking Bovril.