Southwark cadets were honoured to attend the parade in this year of 'Jutland 100' held at East Ham.
John Travers Cornwell, commonly known as Jack Cornwell or 'Jutland Jack', is remembered for his bravery at the Battle of Jutland, the most significant naval battle of the First World War.
Born on 8 January 1900 in Leyton. After war broke out, at age 15 he enlisted in the Royal Navy and at Easter 1916, Jack was sent to Rosyth in Scotland. On 2 May he joined the crew of HMS Chester.
Jack's ship came under fire from four German ships. Shells crashed from the German guns into HMS Chester. Jack's ship was hit and all his gun-crew were killed or badly wounded. Bodies lay all around. Only Jack was left standing, bleeding from wounds. Although in pain and with shells still hitting the ship, he stayed by his gun waiting for orders. After the action, ship medics arrived on board to find him the sole survivor at his gun, shards of steel penetrating his chest, still manning his post.
On 15 September 1916, the official citation appeared in The London Gazette stating that John Travers Cornwell had been posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross by King George V.
“Mortally wounded early in the action, Boy, First Class, John Travers Cornwell remained standing alone at a most exposed post, quietly awaiting orders, until the end of the action, with the gun’s crew dead and wounded around him. His age was under sixteen and half years.”
