Jack Cornwell
| John Travers Cornwell | |
|---|---|
John Travers Cornwell, Boy 1st class (1900–1916) by Ambrose McEvoy, although this is likely to be Jack's brother.
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| Nickname(s) | "Jack" "Boy" |
| Born |
8 January 1900 Leyton, Essex, England |
| Died | 2 June 1916 (aged 16) Grimsby, England |
| Buried at | Manor Park Cemetery, London |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
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| Years of service | 1915–1916 |
| Rank | Boy 1st Class |
| Unit | HMS Chester |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
John Travers Cornwell VC (8 January 1900 – 2 June 1916), commonly known as Jack Cornwell or as Boy Cornwell, is remembered for his gallantry at the Battle of Jutland. Having died at the age of only 16, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Cornwell is the third-youngest recipient of the VC after Andrew Fitzgibbon and Thomas Flinn.
John "Jack" Travers Cornwell was born third child into a working-class family at Clyde Place, Leyton, Essex (now in Greater London). His parents were Eli and Alice Cornwell. The family later moved to Alverstone Road, East Ham. He left Walton Road School at the then standard age of 14, but was in the Boy Scouts. At the outbreak of the First World War, ex-soldier Eli Cornwell volunteered for service and was fighting in France under Lord Kitchener. His older brother Arthur also served in an infantry regiment on the Western Front.
In October 1915, Jack Cornwell gave up his job as a delivery boy and enlisted in the Royal Navy, without his father's permission. He had references from his headmaster and employer. He carried out his basic training at HMS Vivid Keyham Naval Barracks at Plymouth and received further training as a Sight Setter or Gun Layer and became Boy Seaman First Class. On the Easter Monday of 1916, Cornwell left for Rosyth, Scotland to join his assignment in the navy. He was assigned to HMS Chester .
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