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Lieutenant William Young


Tyne Cot Memorial. Authors image

Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 136 to 138

2nd Battalion attached to the 7th Battalion Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, 44th Infantry Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division

Age 24

KIA 22.8.17

Son of  William Young, Scottish Liberal MP for East Perthshire 1910 to 1918 and then for Perth to 1922 when he retired.

 

Early Life

William was born on 3 January 1893 and was educated at Gordon’s College,  Aberdeen and at Leys School, Cambridge. He was employed by a London merchant and on the outbreak of war enlisted in the London Scottish Territorial Battalion as a Private and went to France with the Battalion on 16 September 1914. He saw active service with the London Scottish throughout 1914 to March 1915 when he was selected for a commission and was sent back to the UK for training. In May 1915, he joined the 2nd Battalion Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders as a 2nd Lieutenant and was posted to Salonika in December 1915. He was wounded, shrapnel wound to the left leg. Due to the severity of the wound he was transferred to a hospital in the UK were further surgery took place. On recovering from this wound he went back to France and was attached to the 7th Battalion who were in the line at Frezenberg Ridge.

 

His Death

On the 22 August the 7th Battalion were in the line at Frezenberg Ridge engaged in Third Ypres. They were in the trenches at Pommern Castle on Hill 35 in front of the German strong point at Gallipoli Farm and preparing to attack the German line.


Linesman Map showing the British trenches at Pommern Castle and the German front line

The attack went in at 4.45am and they immediately met heavy German rifle and machine gun fire that brought the attack to a standstill. They held the line and were relieved by the Black Watch on the night of 22/23 August. The War Diary recorded the casualities with William among the dead officers. His body was subsequently lost and he is listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial.



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