At just 16 he parachuted into France

[Subdeacon Joe]

The runaway boy hero of D-day

 

Unknown to Lieutenant Jack Watson, commander of the 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion’s ‘A’ Company, one of his men on board, Private Robert ‘Bobby’ Johns, was about to make history – he would become the youngest soldier to parachute into Normandy on D-Day.

Pte Johns may have been tall and broad-shouldered, with a fierce, defiant stare, but he was just 16 years old – two years below the minimum age for active service.

Lieut Watson was also unaware that his young charge was the subject of the British Army’s own real-life version of Saving Private Ryan.

 

[Ruff]

Cool. O wonder how many youngsters served.

[Subdeacon Joe]

In WWI, looks like about a quarter million from England: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zcvdhyc

I saw one article, which I didn't bookmark, darnit, that said "tens of thousands" for WWII.

And, it looks like it is still going on: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zcvdhyc

[Smoken D]

Dad was 18 when he jumped on D-Day 0400 hrs behind enemy lines and 5 miles off their mark.