DNA breakthrough identifies cabin boy David Young as exhibition marks 200 years since ship’s launch

ON MAY 19, 1845, a handsome 17-year-old boy boarded the Pembroke Dock-built ship HMS Erebus to begin one of the most tortuous and tragic voyages in modern history.

David Young, like all the other crew members around him, was full of excitement and an unquenchable determination that their Arctic expedition would be equally as successful as Erebus’s previous voyage to Antarctica. There, under the leadership of Royal Navy Captain Sir James Clark Ross, the ship smashed through approximately 134 miles of ice to discover the South Magnetic Pole.

This time, led by seasoned polar explorer Sir John Franklin, Erebus’s 69-strong crew was convinced their expedition to the Arctic would uncover that vital sea trading route between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans — the Northwest Passage. But what they did not know was that this would turn into one of the most gruesome voyages known to mankind.

So extreme was the crew’s final desperation, the men were forced to resort to cannibalism in temperatures which dropped as low as minus 48C. HMS Erebus, together with her crew, would never return to UK waters.

But now, following the discovery of 14 sets of human remains near King William Island, DNA tests have traced David Young to his great-great-grandnephew, former professional diver Adrian Young, who lives in Templeton, near Narberth.

“David was one of 14 human remains that were found at the site, and finally being able to find out just that little bit more about him means so much to me,” Adrian told The Pembrokeshire Herald.

“In my early 20s, when I was doing some archaeological dives on treasure ships in the Scilly Isles, my aunt told me as much as she knew about David Young. And ever since then, I’ve wanted to find out whether there was a family connection.

“David was obviously a very adventurous young man, and I guess this runs in the family. I worked as a professional diver, I was the chief engineer of tugs, and I also once drove a Land Rover all the way to Turkey!”

David, who served as an Erebus cabin boy, was identified by DNA carried out on his skull and, so far, only five crew members have been identified. These include Captain James Fitzjames, whose jawline showed signs of cannibalism.

Built in Pembroke Dock over 200 years ago, Erebus was a Hecla-class bomb ketch measuring 104 feet long, which was less than half the length of a standard man o’ war ship. She took 20 months to build at a cost of £14,603, which equates to £1.25m in today’s money.

Launched from Pembroke Dock in 1826, she embarked on her successful Antarctic expedition and then, on May 19, 1845, sailed from Greenhithe in Kent on Franklin’s quest for the Northwest Passage.

HMS Erebus was both a powerful and luxurious ship, boasting a steam engine and a propeller capable of thrusting the boat at four knots and 25hp. The crew benefited from a heating system and vast supplies of provisions to see them through their expected three-year voyage. These included cattle, sheep, pigs and hens, which were transported on two accompanying supply ships. Erebus also had three pets on board — a monkey given by Lady Franklin, a Newfoundland dog called Neptune, and a cat.

Despite their luxuries, the sailors’ lives, under the zealous eye of Sir John Franklin, were undoubtedly tough. Franklin was an exceptionally focused individual whose aim was to succeed at everything he did. As a result, he pushed his men so hard he earned himself the moniker “the man who ate his boots”. At the age of 59, he was by far the oldest crew member on board HMS Erebus.

The intention was for the ship to overwinter in the ice before continuing to voyage in the spring. But the extreme weather conditions meant there was no thaw, and Erebus was forced to remain in the ice for 19 months. The sailors now found themselves at the mercy of the immense pressure of the sea ice and unpredictable icebergs before HMS Erebus became trapped in the desolate area around Beechey Island. The Inuit rarely visited this region, with the result that the crew could no longer rely on locals for meat, clothing and oil. Temperatures dropped to minus 48C at night and minus 35C by day; even taking off a balaclava could rip the skin and beard from the sailors’ chins.

In a desperate attempt to find water to enable them to move forward, in April 1848, David Young and 13 other crewmen left Erebus, pulling a whaling boat over the frozen sea for approximately 19 miles. This would have been an exceptionally arduous effort for the men, as they had little food and water to retain their energy levels. And despite the freezing temperatures, the men would still have sweated heavily given the weight of the whaling boat; whenever they stopped, the sweat would turn to ice, so it was possible that gangrene may have set in.

Nobody will ever know what finally took David’s life, however, it is likely to have been a combination of starvation, exhaustion and possibly scurvy.

When Erebus went missing, Franklin’s wife put up a hefty £10,000 reward for information, while the Royal Navy offered a £3,000 reward. A total of 36 searches were carried out between 1847 and 1859, with the total number of searches eventually amounting to 52. Erebus was finally located in 2014 by Parks Canada.

“This was massive news, as searches had been going on for so long,” said Adrian.

“And when they dived down, they found the ship was in exceptionally good condition, with most of the artefacts undamaged. This means Erebus is the only surviving ship launched from Pembroke Dock 200 years ago that still survives. So for me, living just a few miles away, it means so very much, particularly knowing that David Young was my great-great uncle.”

Now, to mark the 200th anniversary of the launch of HMS Erebus from Pembroke Dock, the town’s Heritage Centre is hosting a major exhibition celebrating the ship’s extraordinary history. It brings this remarkable international story back to its birthplace, featuring rare artefacts recovered from the wreck, many of which are being shown to the public for the first time, as well as immersive displays, digital interactives, an Arctic diorama and underwater footage from the wreck site.

The exhibition will run from Monday, June 8, until the end of October.

A YOUNG Pembrokeshire man has shared his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award story with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace.

Alex Underwood, 20, from Narberth, was recognised at a Gold Award celebration in the Buckingham Palace Garden on Wednesday, May 20.

Alex, who completed his DofE at Portfield School in Haverfordwest, met the Duke during the event and spoke to him about his journey through the scheme.

When asked by the Duke what stood out most about completing his Gold Award, Alex replied: “The expedition was my favourite. We went in dry and came out wet.”

Alex, who has additional needs, completed his Physical section with Puffins Disability Swimming Squad at his local leisure centre. For his Volunteering section, he supported a charity shop by helping to sort and price items and welcome customers. His Skills section saw him gain hands-on experience in agriculture on a local dairy farm.

He told the Duke how the experience helped build his confidence and encouraged him to continue developing new skills.

Alex said: “I believe that completing DofE gave me confidence in my abilities and I told HRH I am now in college at Ruskin Mill, building more skills through new experiences.

“It all began with saying ‘yes’ to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The Duke gave me a hearty congratulations and it was very nice to meet him.”

Alex has completed Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE Awards and is now a DofE Cymru Youth Ambassador. Last year, he won the Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services Young Volunteer of the Year 2025 Award for his work in the role.

He added: “Before starting I felt a bit apprehensive about whether my learning disability would hold me back, but with support from my DofE Leader and encouragement from my teachers, I soon gained the courage to try new experiences and haven’t looked back.

“I would like to encourage more pupils with additional needs to join DofE as it is for everyone and can help them build new skills.”

The Buckingham Palace celebration was one of four events held over two days, recognising more than 9,000 young people from across the UK who have completed their Gold DofE Award.

The event, hosted by The Duke as Patron of the DofE charity, formed part of the charity’s 70th anniversary celebrations. The palace garden was transformed into a festival-style event, with activities, speakers and special anniversary features.

Guests heard from TV chef and author Jon Watts, presenter and podcaster Sam Thompson, actress Corinna Brown, F1 Academy driver Chloe Chong, musician and presenter Gareth Malone OBE, and sports presenter Hayley McQueen.

Ruth Marvel OBE, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “It’s an absolute privilege to be celebrating our amazing Gold Award holders in the Buckingham Palace Garden today, who through their DofE have shown extraordinary perseverance and resilience, and developed core skills for life.

“As young people navigate an uncertain time, we will continue to champion opportunities that build confidence, resilience and human skills for all young people.”

The DofE is open to young people aged 14 to 24 and involves volunteering, physical activity, skills development, expeditions and, at Gold level, a residential section.

Caption:

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh meets DofE Cymru Youth Ambassadors Nanw Jones (dressed in black) and Alex Underwood (in a suit)

A WELSH crash survivor who needed 100 units of blood after a near-fatal road accident is urging people across Wales to donate during National Blood Donor Week.

Richard Jones, from Neath, lost a significant amount of blood after his truck hit a barrier and overturned in Carmarthenshire in 2020.

A passer-by, who was a former Army medic, used makeshift tourniquets to stem the bleeding, while other members of the public helped keep Richard conscious until the Wales Air Ambulance arrived.

Medics gave him six units of blood at the roadside before he was taken to Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

Richard spent ten days in a coma and suffered devastating injuries, including a shattered hip, multiple fractures, a torn posterior cruciate ligament and severe trauma to both legs.

His right leg was later amputated above the knee because of a severed artery. Over the following weeks, he underwent nine major operations and needed a further 94 units of blood.

Now, during National Blood Donor Week, which runs from Monday, June 8, to Sunday, June 14, Richard is thanking the strangers whose donations helped save his life.

Richard said: “At the time, I had no idea how many people it would take to save my life.

“Looking back now, it’s overwhelming to think how many strangers stepped forward to help me.

“I would just like to say a huge thank you to anyone who donates blood. Without you, I wouldn’t be here.

“You never know whose life you’re going to save or change.”

During his recovery, Richard met his partner, Michaela. The couple are now proud parents to their young son, Dougie.

Since the crash, Richard has adapted to life with a prosthetic limb and continues to share his story in the hope of encouraging others to give blood.

Alan Prosser, Director of the Welsh Blood Service, said: “We always say one donation can save three lives, but in Richard’s case, it took a community of lifesavers.

“One hundred units is a staggering amount of blood for one person to receive. It is only possible because people generously give up an hour of their time to help people in need.

“National Blood Donor Week is the highlight of our annual calendar. However, the summer months can be especially challenging, with hot weather and more donors travelling abroad affecting donation levels.

“If you can do it, try giving blood this summer and help people in their time of need, just like our donors helped Richard.”

As part of this year’s campaign, the Welsh Blood Service is bringing back its Missing Type campaign.

First launched in Wales in 2016, the campaign saw brands, businesses, organisations and members of the public remove the letters A, B and O from names and logos to highlight the importance of blood groups.

Mr Prosser added: “The original campaign inspired people across Wales to remove the letters O, A and B from social media names and business logos, encouraging people to imagine a world without these critical blood types.

“The difference it made then, and the conversations it started, are exactly why it is returning now.”

The Missing Type campaign will run throughout June, with National Blood Donor Week at its centre.

To find out more or book a blood donation, visit www.wbs.wales/NBDW26