.14-year-old confirmed as UK's youngest WWII death

Reginald Earnshaw is the youngest know British soldier to have died in World War II. Ling about his age at 14 years, Earnshaw never got to see his 15th birthday. What would of been his 82th birthday Earnshaw has been acknowledged as the youngest British soldier to have died in World War II. Earnshaw died July 6, 1941 off the coast of England, when the ship SS Devon was attacked by German planes. Earnshaw was not recognized as the youngest British soldier, because officials did not have any proof of his real age. As a Merchant Navy cabin boy at the time of his death, Earnshaw had lied about his age after leaving school. Pauline Harvey, Earnshaw's younger sister, came forward with the proof of her brothers age after the war graves commission had made a nationwide appeal for information about Earnshaw. Earnshaw laid in an unmarked grave for many years in Edinburgh until Alf Tubb tried to find out what had happened to has shipmate. Tubb discovered that the war grave commission had placed a permanent granite headstone on Earnshaw's grave just last summer.

What a very sad story. It is so sad that a boy of that age never real got to grow up and live his life. It is sad anytime that a soldier get killed in war, but I could never imagine what it must of been like at 14. I mean at 14 even back in those days a 14 year old boy shouldn't of had a care in the world. Instead this young boy was going off to war. I guess that just goes to show the values that have changed in the last 50 years. I mean my son is 12 and the only thing he cares about is the TV or his PlayStation.

There are a few questions that come to mind about the whole thing. One is where were his parents and how could they let him just go off to join the navy. I mean 15 or 14 there is know way I would let my son join the military. The second question is if Earnshaw was placed in a grave then why did it take nearly 70 years before they finally gave him a grave stone. It makes me wonder if the government didn't place a head stone on his grave, because then they would have to admit that they had made a mistake and let another 14 year old boy in the military. It is a shame that Earnshaws family had gone all these years with out even knowing where he was buried.

Well I guess a least now Earnshaw can be honored by his family.