Original: Tommy Atkins ( often just Tommy ) is a term for a common soldier in the British Army that was already well established in the nineteenth century , but is particularly associated with World War I/O. It can be used as a term of reference , or as a form of address .
Simplified: 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.