Quirky British history: The oldest Crimean War veteran

When did last survivor of the Crimean War died? In 2004. The last veteran  of the Crimean War (1853–1856) was Timothy, a Mediterranean spur-thighed  tortoise. He was thought to be approximately 160 years old at the time of his death, and the UK's oldest resident.

Timothy was found aboard a Portuguese privateer in 1854 by Captain John Courtenay Everard of the Royal Navy and served as a mascot on a series of Navy vessels until 1892, including service as ship's mascot of HMS Queen  during the first bombardment of Sebastopol in the Crimean War.

He then retired to Powderham Castle, where he was taken in by Everard's relative, the tenth Earl of Devon.  Timothy had a Devon's family motto - "Where have I fallen? What have I done?" - inscribed on his underside.



During the WWII, he left the shade of his favourite wisteria and dug his own air-raid shelter under the terrace steps. Lady Gabrielle Courtenay, aunt to the current Earl and Timothy's keeper, claimed this was because the vibration from bombs falling on nearby Exeter had disturbed him. She also believed he could recognise people's voices, and always came when called.

After the war, he returned to the same rose-bed to hibernate every year, wearing a large tagmarked "My name is Timothy - i am very old. Please do not pick me up."

According to Rory Knight-Bruce, Timothy's biographer, the few who were allowed to carry him "would have held a doughty veteran with a gimlet eye whose density of weight was about that of a medium-sized Le Creuset pot".

In 1926, the Devons decided that Timothy should mate. It was then discovered that Timothy was actually female. Given her age, they decided against changing his/her name, and although they did introduce a potential mate called Toby, she died without an heir.

Timothy was buried in the family burial plot in the castle grounds.