Too Young to Die Photo Gallery

The young faces shown in this gallery are but a few of the estimated thirty thousand underage youths who joined the Canadian armed forces in the Second World War. Some of the youths who managed to enlist were as young as fourteen. Like older servicemen they took their chances in the army, navy, air force, and merchant navy, and not all of them came home. It was an honour to capture some of their stories in the book Too Young to Die: Canada’s Boy Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen in the Second World War. A big debt of gratitude is also owed to the families who shared old photographs, letters, and memories. Clockwise from top left: Roy Spry, Bob Muir, Ralph Frayne, Denis Chisholm, Jim Parks and Kenneth Watson.

Roy Spry was sixteen when he joined the Merchant Navy in December 1944. Courtesy Betty Spry
With his father’s help, Bob Muir was prepared to serve in the air force until told to go home. He joined the army, landing on Juno Beach on D-Day. Courtesy Grayce Muir
Determined to serve his country, Ralph Frayne witnessed plenty of action as a merchant seaman and while serving in HMCS Haida. Courtesy Ralph Frayne
Kenneth Watson of Revelstoke, British Columbia, was killed while serving on HMCS Assiniboine during an encounter with a U-boat.
Jim Parks of Winnipeg also had a frightful landing on Juno Beach on D-Day. Courtesy Jim Parks
Denis Chisholm of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, enrolled in the Regina Rifles, June 1940, at sixteen. Courtesy Denis Chisholm

In July 2018 I participated in podcast with the Juno Beach Centre regarding this book. You can listen to it by visiting https://www.junobeach.org/podcast/too-young-to-die-with-dan-black/ It was an honour to participate in such an event.

Boy (Seaman Class) Kenneth Watson’s kit and personal effects list. LAC RG112 vol. 30783