Desmond died on his sister Suzanne’s 19th birtday.

Valerie Sheppard wrote: Desmond was killed in a car crash when he was so young. He was driving, on his way to his girlfriend’s house, I believe for their engagement party. He was killed on the spot, a terrible accident – my father had to go to the scene of the accident and I remember seeing him so disturbed and crying, telling my mother about it – Desmond had suffered fatal head injuries. He was an exceptionally handsome boy – very like the Elvis Presley image of those times.