SOME of Gwent’s youngest Second World War dead are being immortalised in a new book highlighting their sacrifices.

Billie McGee MNM, is a former Merchant Navy & Royal Fleet Auxiliary and an archivist for the Merchant Navy Association.

In 2010, he published a book called They Shall Not Grow Old, detailing the loss of more than 500 boys aged 16 and under who died while serving with the Merchant Navy during the Second World War.

Mr McGee said: “Since the book was first published, I have found more detailed information on the losses of those covered in the original publication, as well as a number of new cases of boys lost, which I have worked on since.”

A number of those new cases have been added to the official war dead by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Mr McGee had the honour of unveiling those names at the Merchant Navy Memorial at Tower Hill, London in 2019.

With the new information and cases found, Mr McGee has decided to write an updated version of the book. 

“Their stories are not meant in any way to devalue the contribution of all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice during wartime, but merely as educational purpose for those unaware of the facts," he said.

"These boys could legally join the Merchant Navy at just 14 years old and fight for their country. This is my way of remembering a lost generation, the likes of which will never be seen again.”

Mr McGee would like to find relatives of those who are mentioned below, and any photographs of any of them to include in his book.

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Newport war dead

BARNES, Galley Boy, KENNETH JOHN, S.S. Koranton (Newcastle-on-Tyne). Merchant Navy. 28th March 1941. Age 15. Son of John Henry Barnes, and of Florence May Barnes, of Newport, Monmouthshire.

BARNES, Galley Boy, KENNETH JOHN, S.S. Koranton (Newcastle-on-Tyne). Merchant Navy. 28th March 1941. Age 15. Son of John Henry Barnes, and of Florence May Barnes, of Newport, Monmouthshire.

Kenneth John Barnes (above) was a galley boy on the SS Koranton (Newcastle-on-Tyne). The son of John Henry and Florence May Barnes, he died aged 15 on March 28, 1941.

Robert Edwin Brimble was an ordinary seaman on the SS Treverbyn (St Ives). The son of William and Alice Brimble, he died on October 21 1941 aged 15.

Ronald Arthur William Hall was an ordinary seaman on the SS Woodtown (Leith). He lived at 28 William Street and died on November 15 1939 aged 16.

LORD, Galley Boy, JOHN WILLIAM, S.S. Mill Hill (Newcastle-on-Tyne). Merchant Navy. 30th August 1940. Age 16, of 9 Canal Parade, Newport, Monmouthshire.

LORD, Galley Boy, JOHN WILLIAM, S.S. Mill Hill (Newcastle-on-Tyne). Merchant Navy. 30th August 1940. Age 16, of 9 Canal Parade, Newport, Monmouthshire.

John William Lord (above) was a galley boy on the SS Mill Hill (Newcastle-on-Tyne). He lived at 9 Canal Parade and died aged 16 on August 30 1940.

TAKLE, Ordinary Seaman, PHILIP JAMES, S.S. Anglo Saxon (London). Merchant Navy. 21st August 1940. Age 16, of 23 Mill Parade, Newport.

TAKLE, Ordinary Seaman, PHILIP JAMES, S.S. Anglo Saxon (London). Merchant Navy. 21st August 1940. Age 16, of 23 Mill Parade, Newport.

Philip James Takle (above) was an ordinary seaman on the SS Anglo Saxon (London). He lived at 23 Mill Parade and died aged 16 on August 21 1940.

Albert Ronald Williams was a galley boy on SS Castlemoor (London). The son of Mr and Mrs Albert Samuel Williams, he was 15 when he died on February 25 1940.

Pontypool war dead

Gordon Thomas Hunt was a cabin boy on the SS Susan Maersk (Belfast). He was from Cwmffrwdoer, and died aged 15 on June 13 1941.

Anyone who is a relative of or knows of any information of any of the above is asked to contact Elizabeth.Birt@newsquest.co.uk to be put in touch with Mr McGee.

Mr McGee came up with the idea for the book after he helped research a case in 2005 of 14-year-old Reginald Earnshaw who was killed in July 1941.

He was involved in finding an unmarked grave in Edinburgh. He was able to find documents at the National Archives in Kew and presented them to the CWGC. He was able to lay a wreath on ‘Reggie’s’ grave at a ceremony in 2009, 68 years to the day that he was killed. He also presented Master Earnshaw’s medals to his sister.

He has also appeared on BBC documentary How We Won the War (Scotland edition) which was centred around the Merchant Navy’s contribution to the war, in which they used Reggie Earnshaw’s story as a backdrop.