INFORMATION on Jack Banks, Darwen’s 16-year-old World War Two hero, is being sought by army enthusiasts.

Ted Walmsley from Boston in Lincolnshire, has visited Jack’s grave six times in Jerusalem with the Normandy Veterans.

He has been tasked by the group to find out if Jack was the youngest soldier to fall during the Normandy campaign in 1944.

Mr Walmsley said: “There are two boys aged 16 who died during the battle, one of which was Jack.

“We are now trying to find out Jack’s date of birth to establish whether or not he was the youngest.”

Private Jack Banks was born in Radford Street, Darwen, in 1928 to Jack and Fanny Banks.

He attended Spring Bank School and after leaving school joined the work force at Shaw’s Glazed Brick Works.

When he was 14, he joined the Home Guard. He was so keen to join the army, that the following year, aged 15, he lied about his age and joined the 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.

While trying to take out enemy machine gun fire on July 21, 1944, he was hit by mortar fire and died.

Anybody with information on Jack’s date of birth is asked to conact Mr Walmsley on 01205760644 or edwalmsley@yahoo.com