A proud Hornchurch family has celebrated its fifth family member to join the armed forces, spanning an incredible four generations.

The Maslin family, of Benhurst Avenue, recently marked 17-year-old Sam’s army training parade at Bassingbourne in Cambridgeshire, making him the latest in a long line of dedicated men serving his country.

The Havering College student is now set to join the 9th/12th Royal Lancers in Hohne, North Germany.

He follows in the footsteps of eldest brother Corporal Dean Maslin, 27, currently with the 1 Mercian Infantry in Catterick, North Yorkshire, his father Mark, 47, a former Royal Navy radio operator, grandfather Peter, 72, who served as a wireless operator in the RAF and great-grandfather Frederick, now passed-away, who was a sailor in the Merchant Navy during the Second World War.

Beaming dad Mark, now a London Ambulance paramedic, said serving in the armed forces had always appealed to the Maslin men and even as youngsters his sons would play army games.

He told the Recorder: “They’ve both wanted to be in the army since they were toddlers, they were always dressing up. They’re army through-and-through. It’s a good career move for them.

“I’m proud of both the boys. All you see on telly these days is youths with their hoods up rioting. But here are two lads from Hornchurch serving their country.

“When Sam had his passing out parade in Bassingbourn we got a minibus and took all the family. My dad’s as proud as anything.”

Eldest son Dean has served in Afghanistan and Iraq and was one of the first British soldiers at the scene of Saddam Hussein’s toppled statue in Baghdad, 2003. He is now on a sergeants training course and the highest ranking Maslin man.

Great-grandfather Frederick also helped shaped history after laying out oil pipelines under the English Channel between England and France during the Second World War – known as Operation Pluto (Pipe-Lines Under The Ocean).