LONDON – A 14-year-old who died at sea in 1941 has been confirmed as Britain's youngest World War II casualty.
Officials say Reginald Earnshaw was killed under enemy attack aboard the SS North Devon. He had lied about his age in order to join the Merchant Navy.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission confirmed Friday that Earnshaw was the youngest service member to be killed during the war. His sister placed flowers at his grave Friday to mark his birthday.
His remains were buried in an unmarked grave in Edinburgh, Scotland, for decades until a fellow shipmate launched an investigation that led to him being identified and given a headstone.
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