YOUENS, Frederick

YOULL, John Scott
Second Lieutenant. 1st Battalion. Northumberland Fusiliers. *
London Gazetted on 25th July 1918.
VC Medal's Custodian is unknown.
Born on 6th June 1897 at Thorncroft, Thornley, County Durham.
Killed in action on 27th October 1918 during the crossing of the River Piave.
Memorial on grave at Giavera British Cemetery, Treviso, Italy.
Digest of Citation reads:
On the 15th in June 1918, Second Lieutenant Youll was commanding a patrol south-west of Asiago, Italy, when they came under heavy enemy fire. After ordering his men to return to safety, he remained to survey the situation. He found that he was unable to return to his company so he reported to another unit. Here he took command of several men, all from different units, and held the position against enemy attack until a machine-gun opened up on his rear. Rushing towards the gun, he killed most of the crew, captured the gun and opened fire: inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Lieutenant Youll then carried out three separate counter-attacks, each one resulting in the enemy being driven back.
* Attached to the 11th Service Battalion.
Additional information:. Second Lieutenant Youll, was the younger son of Richard and Margaret Youll of Thorncroft, Thornley, County Durham. Educated at Thornley Council School, he attended technical classes at Wingate provided by the Durham County Council. He began work as an apprentice electrician at Thornley Colliery before joining the Army on the 1st July 1916 in the Royal Engineers. As a Sapper he did good service in the European War (WWI) and was recommended for a commission. He was posted to the Northumberland Fusiliers in June 1917, returning to France. He saw action at Polygon Wood where he was mentioned in despatches. The regiment had not had a VC since the Siege of Lucknow, India.

YOUNG, Alexander
Sergeant-Major. Cape Police. South African Forces..
London Gazetted on 8th November 1901.
VC Medal's Custodian is unknown.
Born on 27th January 1873 at Ballinona, Clarinbridge, County Galway, Ireland.
Killed in action on 19th October 1916 on the Somme, France.
Sergeant-Major Young has no known grave but is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 13th August 1901 at the close of the action at Ruiter's Kraal, South Africa, Sergeant-Major Young, along with a small party of men, charged some kopjes which were being held by a score of Boers under Commandant Erasmus. When they arrived at these kopjes they saw the enemy galloping back to another one, also held by the Boers. The Sergeant-Major then galloped 50 yards ahead of his men and closed with the Boers. After shooting one of them, Captain Erasmus was taken prisoner but not before he fired point-blank, three times, at Sergeant-Major Young.
Additional information:. Lieutenant Young was the son of William and Annie Young of Ballinona, Clarinbridge, County Galway. After being dedicated at the Model School, Galway, he joined the Army in the Queen's Bays on the 22nd May, 1890. His expertise on a horse soon earned him a place as a riding instructor. It was in the Sudan, under Lord Kitchener, where he saw his first action. He was eventually transferred to the Cape Police as a riding instructor. He saw action in the Boer War. he was killed in action on the Somme on 19th October 1916, his body never being recovered. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, which is dedicated to more than 73,000 men who were missing in the First World War.

YOUNG, Frank Edward
2nd Lieutenant. 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment
London Gazetted on 14th December, 1918.
V.C. Medal's Custodian is the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regimental Museum (Luton).
Born on 2nd October 1895 at Cherat, NorthWest Province, India.
Died on 18th September, 1918 near Havrincourt, France. (killed in action).
Memorials at Hermies Hill British Cemetery, France and on the War Memorial in St Mary's Churchyard, Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 18th September, 1918 south-east of Havrincourt, France, during an enemy counter-attack and throughout intense enemy fire, 2nd Lieutenant Young visited all posts, warned the garrisons and encouraged the men. In the early stages of the attack he rescued two of his men who had been captured and bombed and silenced an enemy machine gun. Then he fought his way back to the main barricade and drove out a party of the enemy assembling there. Throughout four hours of heavy fighting this officer set a fine example and was last seen fighting hand-to-hand against a considerable number of the enemy.

YOUNG, John Francis
Private. 87th Battalion. Quebec Regiment. * Canadian Expeditionary Force.
London Gazetted on 14th December 1918.
VC Medal's Custodian is unknown.
Born on 14th January 1893 at Kidderminster, Worcestershire.
Died on 7th November 1929, at Quebec, Canada.
Memorial on grave at Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, Canada.
Digest of Citation reads:
Throughout the operations on the 2nd 3rd and 4th September 1918, whilst acting as a stretcher bearer he showed the greatest Valour and devotion to duty. On the 2nd September 1918, in an attack at the Dury Arras Sector, France, whilst attached to D company, the company came under heavy shell and machine-gun fire: causing them to suffer many casualties. Without hesitation, Private Young went out into the open, where there was a complete absence of cover and the area was being swept with enemy fire, and there worked ceaselessly to dress the wounds on the casualties. He returned to replenish his supplies of bandages and dressings, all of the time under extremely heavy enemy fire, on more than one occasion. For over an hour he continued this heroic work. When the enemy fire had died down, he personally led parties of stretcher-bearers to bring in the casualties that he had dressed earlier.
* Canadian Grenadier Guards.
Additional information:. Army No. 177239, Private Young moved to Montreal , Canada, where he was employed as a Tobacco Packer. It was here that he enlisted, as one of the few 'originals', on 20th October 1915 in the 87th Battalion of the Quebec Regiment. During the European War, (WW I) he was wounded.

YOUNG, * Thomas
Private. 9th Battalion. Durham Light Infantry.
London Gazetted on 4th June 1918.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Durham Light Infantry Museum,
Born on 28th January 1895 at Bolden, County Durham.
Died on 15th October 1966 at Whickham, County Durham.
Memorial on grave at St Patrick's Cemetery, High Spen, County Durham.
Digest of Citation reads:
For five days from 21st/25th March 1918 at Bucquoy, France, when acting as a stretcher bearer, Private Young set a most outstanding example of courage and devotion to duty when under extremely heavy rifle, machine-gun and shellfire, directed at him personally, he, on no less than nine different occasions went out in front of the Regiment's lines, in broad daylight, to bring back the wounded to safety. Those that were too severely injured to be moved, Private Young attended to their injuries under extremely harassing fire, then carrying them himself to the safety of the Allied lines. By this action, he rescued, and saved, the nine lives of his comrades. His complete disregard for his own safety, his ceaseless energy and his ability to dress the wounded goes beyond any praise possible.
Additional information:. Army No., 203590, Private Thomas Young's real name was Morrell.

YOUNG,Thomas James
Lieutenant (later Captain) Royal Navy (Naval Brigade).
London Gazetted on 1st February 1849.
VC Medal's custodian is the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
Born on: 1827. Actual date and place not known.
Died on: 20th March 1869 at Caen, France.
Memorial at: Protestant Cemetery, Rue de Magazin á Poudre, Caen, France.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 16 November 1867 at Lucknow, India, naval guns were brought up close to the Shah Nujeff mosque, and the gun crews kept up a steady fire in an attempt to breach the walls, while a hail of musket balls and grenades from the mutineers inside the mosque caused heavy casualties. Lieutenant Young moved from gun to gun giving encouragement, and when he and an able seaman (see W. HALL) were the only survivors, all the rest being killed or wounded, Lieutenant Young took the last gunners place and between them they loaded and fired the gun.
Additional information: He was the Brother-in-law of Midshipman Duncan Gordon Boyes VC. He also had Campaign Medal for the Crimea with Azov clasp as well as the Order of Medjidie, 5th Class. His Companion, AB William Hall was the first coloured man to win the VC.

YOUNG, William

YOUNGER, David Reginald
Captain. 1st Battalion. Gordon Highlanders.
London Gazetted on 8th August 1902. *
VC Medal's Custodian is unknown.
Born on 17th March 1871 at Edinburgh.
Killed in action on 11th June 1900 at Lechochoek, Transvaal, South Africa.
Memorial on grave at Krugersdorp Cemetery, Transvaal, South Africa.
Digest citation reads:
Captain Younger headed a party near Krugersdorp, South Africa, on 11th July 1900. They successfully manhandled an artillery wagon, protected only by a small kopje, even so they were exposed to heavy and precise enemy fire. He joined the second party which had gone out to attempt to bring in the guns and he was mortally wounded and later dying of these wounds.
Additional information:. Captain Younger served as an officer in the Edinburgh Artillery before being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Gordon Highlanders on 23rd December 1893. In India he saw action at Chitral and the Punjab Frontier. On the 20th October 1897 he took part in the assault on Dargai, a precipitous hill feature on the Samana Ridge which covered the road to Tirah (now in Pakistan). He received the Medal and three clasps. Captain Younger's relatives received his Victoria Cross after his Majesty King Edward VII had approved the Decoration in accordance with the regulations.
* "The Victoria Cross 1856-1920," records Captain Younger as being Gazetted on the 28th September 1900 . where it is stated that "David Reginald Younger,, Captain, The Gordon Highlanders. In recognition of the conspicuous bravery displayed by a him on the same occasion , 11th July, 1900, would have been recommended to Her Majesty for the Victoria Cross had he survived."
He would have won his Victoria Cross at the same time as Captain William Eagleson Gordon, also of the Gordon Highlanders.

ZENGEL, Raphael Louis
Sergeant 5th Battalion Saskatchewan Regiment. CEF.
London Gazetted on 27th September 1918.
Born on: 11th November 1894 at Faribault, Minnesota, USA.
Died on: 22nd February 1977 at British Columbia, Canada.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 9 August 1918 east of Warvillers, france, Sergeant Zengel was leading his platoon forward to the attack when he realised that an enemy machine-gun was firing into the advancing line.He rushed forward ahead of the platoon to the gun emplacement, killed the officer and the operator of the gun and dispersed the crew. Later in the day he was rendered temporarily unconscious by an enemy shell but on recovering continued to direct harassing fire on the enemy. His utter disregard for personal safety and the confidence he inspired in all ranks greatly assisted in the outcome of the attack.
Additional information: Army No.424252 Sergeant Raphael Louis Zengel. The Victoria Cross 1856-1920 page 295, states that Zengel was awarded the VC Posthumously, but the VC Register AND Monuments To Courage both state that he died on the date as above, in Canada. He was also awarded the Military Medal.