YOUNG, Harold Bede
| Service Number: | 6880 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 April 1917 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia, 1899 |
| Home Town: | Mudgee, Mid-Western Regional, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Convent of Mercy Roman Catholic School, Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | GPO messenger |
| Died: | Tuberculosis, Devonport, United Kingdom, 8 January 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery, Devon, England, Row C, Grave No. 3501, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Coonamble Municipality and Wingadee Shire HR, Gulgong and Mudgee District Roll of Honor, Sydney NSW Post Master General's Department Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Apr 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6880, 17th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 6880, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 6880, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
William Ralph Young of Waverly in Sydney NSW had five sons enlist during the Great War. One of his boys died not long after the Gallipoli Campaign ended, 3537 Private James Henry Young 1st Battalion AIF was shot through the head by a sniper in France and died of wounds 10 May 1916, one of the first Australians to die on the Western Front.
This son, Harold Bede Young, was the youngest of his sons to enlist. Harold Bede Young fell ill on the transport to England and had been admitted to hospital in London suffering with a tubercle of the lung in during August 1917.
His father wrote to the AIF in November 1917, “the nature of the disease is tubercle of the lung, and there is a very large cavity in one lung. Could you ascertain his condition and advise me if there is any chance of him being returned? I wish to go over to him and be with him at the last. In my opinion there is no hope but there is just a chance of him being returned, and I would not like to pass him on the way. I have given all of my sons, (5) five, to my country. One is dead in France, another is home a cripple, and this poor boy is the youngest. Of course, I do not wish to complain of that, if I had five more, I wouldn’t like a shirker amongst them.
Would you kindly get this information for me by cable so that I may make arrangements to go, and get the necessary permissions to travel; surely the country will stand me by return, the price of a cable. The expense of the journey I will, although not wealthy, manage to defray myself. I am Sir, yours faithfully, W.R. Young.”
William Ralph Young was one of the few fathers who were able to travel to Europe to be at the side of his boy when he died during WW1. , and, knowing his son was dying, William travelled all the way to England to visit him. Sadly, Harold Young passed away on the 8 January 1918, a few days after his father had arrived by his bedside, and was buried in the Efford Cemetery, Devonshire, England.
His roll of honour form states, 'Five brothers, including the deceased, enlisted. Two gave their lives and one is permanently disabled as a result of wounds. Two uncles also were killed in action. Eight cousins enlisted, two dying of illness, one gained the M.M. and one lost his leg. (Details from father)
The permanantly disabled brother was 4660 Pte Douglas Young, 3rd Battalion AIF, who was shot in the neck at Pozieres during August 1916 and returned to Australia, 17 March 1917, with hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body).
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 8th January…… Harold Bede Young was born at Gulgong, New South Wales in 1899.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 20th April, 1917 as an 18 year old, single, G.P.O. Messenger from Paddington, Sydney, New South Wales.
Private Harold Bede Young, Service number 6880, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Beltana (A72) on 16th June, 1917 with the 17th Infantry Battalion, 20th Reinforcements. He was admitted to Ship’s Hospital on 14th August, 1917 with “Pleurisy ? TB” & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 25th August, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was admitted to Military Hospital, Devonport, England on 25th August, 1917 – seriously ill. He was transferred to No. 1 Section, Military Hospital, Devonport on 28th August, 1917 with T.B. Lung.
Mr W. Young, father, was advised by Base Records on 14th December, 1917 that Private Harold Young was dangerously ill on 26th November with Tubercle Lung. Another notification was sent on 27th December, 1917 advising Private H. B. Young’s condition was stationary.
Private Harold Bede Young died at 9.15 am on 8th January, 1918 at Military Hospital (No. I Section), Devonport, England from Tubercle of Lung.
He was buried in Efford Cemetery, Plymouth, Devon, England where 48 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/o---y.html
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