Person    | Male  Born 8/1/1900  Died 2/6/1916

Jack Cornwell, VC

Categories: Armed Forces, Children

War dead, WW1 i

Commemorated on a memorial as having died in WW1.

Sailor. Born as John Travers Cornwell in Clyde Place, Leyton, he enlisted in the Royal Navy at the age of 15.

Killed at the Battle of Jutland, aged 16. He was serving on H.M.S. Chester during the Battle of Jutland. Apart from himself, all of the gunners had either been killed or mortally wounded. He remained at his post in spite of being seriously wounded, and was transferred to Grimsby General Hospital, where he later died.

He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross three months later. He has become known as the youngest recipient of the V.C., when in fact he was actually third in line for the distinction, following Andrew Fitzgibbon and Thomas Flinn (or Flynn) who were both fifteen. According to the IWM a photograph, supposedly of him, has been used extensively (even appearing on a postage stamp), but is now thought to be that of his brother George. Another brother, Ernest, was the model for this other picture that we've found, by the artist Frank O. Salisbury.

From Scouts Heritage: "On the 31 May 1916 the actions of an ordinary boy in extraordinary circumstances led to the development of Scouting’s Cornwell Badge. This badge is still awarded by The Scout Association to honour those Scouts under 25 years of age who demonstrate a pre-eminently high character and devotion to duty, together with great courage and endurance."

We thank Jamie Davis for finding this link to the British Pathe news film of the unveiling, by MP Dr MacNamara, of Cornwell's grave monument on 31 December 1920 at Manor Park Cemetery.

A 2014 news item reported the search for a missing plaque commemorating Cornwell: "Cornwell was onboard HMS Chester when it came under attack from four German cruisers. Although severely wounded he remained standing at his post, with the entire gun crew around him dead or dying, for more than 15 minutes until the ship retired from the action. He died in hospital two days later. The position where he stood was marked with a brass plaque which was still in place when the ship arrived in Llanelli, six years later, to be broken up at Rees Shipbreaking Co." But then the plaque was lost.

2016: An article in the Guardian referred to Cornwell's heroism and prompted correspondence on the letters page pointing out that there is no evidence and that the government used the incident for propaganda.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Jack Cornwell, VC

Commemorated ati

East Ham war memorial

This is a substantial monument, often described, understandably, as a cenotap...

Read More

Jack Cornwell V.C. - E10

Jack Cornwell V.C.  1900 - 1916 Adjacent to this site stood Clyde Cottage bir...

Read More

Jack Cornwell VC - E6

'Boy First Class' is a naval category for a boy aged 16 to 18 who is under tr...

Read More

Jack Cornwell V.C. - Hornchurch

We first took a photograph of this plaque some time ago, before it was stolen...

Read More

Leyton war memorial

When we visited the location, the Cornwell plaque was obscured by wreaths and...

Read More

Show all 6

Other Subjects

Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich

Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich

Infantry officer, naval officer and politician. Born Northamptonshire. Patron and good friend to Pepys. Fought on behalf of Cromwell's Commonwealth first in the army and then as a General at Sea.  ...

Person, Armed Forces, Race Issues

1 memorial
O. T. C. Brewer

O. T. C. Brewer

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Rear-Admiral, Sir Henry Hart, KCH

Rear-Admiral, Sir Henry Hart, KCH

Naval officer.  Born Sussex. Commissioner of Greenwich Hospital.  See Indefatigable for more information, but one paragraph there is particularly relevant to Greenwich Hospital: "Following his reti...

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
W. B. Smith

W. B. Smith

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
John Chipman Kerr, VC

John Chipman Kerr, VC

Awarded the VC for his heroism on 16 September 1916, age 29, while serving in the 49th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. "When bombs were running short he ran along the parados under heavy f...

Person, Armed Forces, Canada

War served, WW1
1 memorial