YOUNG, Alexander
| Service Number: | 2036 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 June 1916, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 13th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Neerim East, Victoria, February 1892 |
| Home Town: | Neerim, Baw Baw, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Natural causes, 1 June 1964, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Jun 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2036, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2036, 13th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Oct 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2036, 13th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 18 Jul 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2036, 13th Light Horse Regiment |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Amber Young
Alexander Young was born in February of 1892 at Neerim East, Victoria. Nicknamed Alec, he was one of three sons to his father George. James and William Thompson were his brothers. Presumably, Alec attended a school in the district before becoming a Labourer in his hometown, Neerim. The war began when Alec was 22 and two years later, on the 14 June 1916 and at the age of 24 and 4 months, he enlisted as a Private for the 13th Light Horse Regiment. A possible reason for enlisting is Alec was single and either felt he wasn't leaving anything behind or thought that if he went and returned, he would be seen as a hero and an attractive bachelor. Statistics show that 86% of single men enlisted in WW1.
After enlisting Alec attended the Broadmeadows Training Camp, in the north of Melbourne for recruit training. It was some time later on October 25 that Alec did eventually embark from Melbourne on HMAT Ulysses A38. The 13th Light Horse Regiment didn't properly participate until the final stages of the war as mobility was difficult due to the trenches. They served as support troops; undertaking traffic control, escorting services and guarding of communication lines. Later, however, the Light Horses continued their traditional role of reconnaissance, vitally contributing to the victory of the Allied Forces. One of their better operations was serving as an advanced guard on a front of 13.5 km.
On April 27, three years later in 1919, Alec finally returned home. He was lucky to be able to do so but didn't feel like it. He had no family of his own as he was single, all he had was his brother James. In 1923, Alexander went missing. The widow of his brother William Thompson eventually tracked him down before he died on 01 June 1964.
Alexander received two Service Medals, the British War Medal 1914-19 and the Victory Medal 1914-1919.
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