YOUNGEST BRITISH WW2 RVICE CASUALTY

BullyBeef

YOUNGEST BRITISH WW2 RVICE CASUALTY CONFIRMED
Feb 4, 2010 6:02 PM
A graveside service will take place in Edinburgh Scotland today -February 5-to commemorate the death on 6 July 1941 of Great Britain's youngest ever service war casulaty in WW2--Cabin Boy Reggie Earnshaw who was killed serving on the merchantman S.S. North Devon;; in the North Sea as a result of enemy air action when the 14 year old's ship was hit by a bomb or bombs.
He was salded to death and being only 14years and 152 days old (he lied about his age) to sign up in the Merchant Navy _ beats the previous record youngest holder Raymond Steed who also died in action in WW2 being 14 years and 207 days old.

He was only just out of short trousers, a fresh-faced young lad with an overwhelming desire to serve his king and country.
But at 14 years of age, Reggie Earnshaw was too young to join his mates in the Merchant Navy when they all went to war in 1941.
So he lied about his age to sign up as a cabin boy - and proudly went to sea aboard
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1248605/Reggie-Earnshaw-The-Second-World-War-cabin-boy-youngest-hero-killed--aged-just-14.html

12:18am UK, Friday February 05, 2010
Lulu Sinclair, Sky News Online
A 14-year-old boy killed while serving his country has been confirmed as Britain's youngest known
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Reginald-Earnshaw-Confirmed-As-Youngest-Known-Service-Casualty-Of-World-War-II/Article/201002115542266?f=rss

Youngest casualty: Memorial for boy seaman, 14
Reggie Earnshaw fibbed about his age to join the Merchant Navy and was killed in action in 1941
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6652994.ece

Tabnabs

He was only just out of short trousers, a fresh-faced young lad with an overwhelming desire to serve his king and country.

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth...

A huge crime that the UK has forgotten the significance of their MN history especially during WW2. I was honoured and proud to visit the MN memorial near the Tower of London last year and deeply disappointed to see the terrible and minuscule MN exhibit at the Imperial War Museum this year.

Fratton Fred

Dyflin wrote: »

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth...

A huge crime that the UK has forgotten the significance of their MN history especially during WW2. I was honoured and proud to visit the MN memorial near the Tower of London last year and deeply disappointed to see the terrible and minuscule MN exhibit at the Imperial War Museum this year.

I couldn't agree more. What the MN endured in the North Atlantic, the Med and the Arctic was every bit as horrific as the RN, but they do seem to be forgotten about.

I think there is a memorial in Liverpool as well btw.

Fratton Fred

I have just been up to the memorial at Tower Hill and there are three names listed un the North Devon, the closest of which is R Earshaw. I wonder if he changed his name because of his age?

I'll stick a photo up later.