Youngest war casualty Reggie gets a headstone 68 years on

WHEN a German aircraft dropped a bomb down the funnel of merchant ship SS North Devon on 6 July 1941, six young lives were prematurely snuffed out.

Among them were Edinburgh pals Douglas Crichton, aged 16, and Reggie Earnshaw, who is believed to have been just 14 years old, having lied about his age to join up – making him the war's youngest service casualty.

Douglas's 12 brothers and sisters, his mother Catherine and father William, were devastated to bring him home to be cremated at Warriston, but family members have kept his memory alive for the last 68 years with fond recollections.

Reggie, however, was buried in an unmarked grave at Comely Bank Cemetery, and his next of kin are unknown.

But today, 68 years to the day after the attack, Douglas's sister, 90-year-old Catherine Corse, will attend the grave to see a headstone finally put in place.

The event is thanks to another former shipmate, Alf Tubb, 86, who traced his old friend Reggie's records, found his grave, and in the absence of any family, contacted the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to arrange for the headstone.

Mrs Corse said she was looking forward to paying tribute to the shipmates.

She said: "I know it's not for Douglas, but I can feel it, I can go and think about it for both lads and I can go and represent the remainder of our family." She still remembers the day that the terrible news arrived at the family home in Henderson Row: "I have a telegram that my mother was given on the day Douglas was killed. I've kept it for all these years. It's terribly sad. It just says: 'I regret to inform you that your son Douglas Crichton died in hospital today as a result of enemy action.' I remember the hysteria, it was a Sunday afternoon it arrived.

"My mother brought Douglas home and the day of Douglas's funeral, five men from the ship appeared at the house. They'd come up from Grimsby where they'd been in hospital and they came to see how Douglas was and my mother said, 'There's going to be a funeral in an hour's time'. They didn't know he'd died."

Douglas's twin brother, Albert, who now lives in Texas, will not be able to make the trip to Edinburgh, but is keen to hear from his sister after she has attended the unveiling with her husband Bill and daughter Carol.

Mrs Corse said she was particularly looking forward to meeting Mr Tubb, who now lives in Swansea. Although he does not remember Douglas, he was good friends with Reggie.

While others abandoned the ship, which was en route to Tyneside, Mr Tubb, a machine gunner, stayed at his post and then tried to rescue Reggie, but was beaten back by scalding steam.

Mrs Corse said: "My mother was able to bring Douglas home and have a lovely funeral. This young lad has been lying in a grave with no markings, poor lad, he's had 68 years like that, while Douglas has been completely loved all these years and we talk about him, but I'm glad this wee lad is being recognised at last and getting a stone."