Walter William YOUNG MM

Walter William YOUNG MM Update Details

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YOUNG, Walter William

Service Number:	2290
Enlisted:	26 July 1915
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	26th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Esperance, Tasmania, Australia, 18 December 1893
Home Town:	Hythe, Huon Valley, Tasmania
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Saw miller
Died:	Killed in action, Bullecourt, France, 3 May 1917, aged 23 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France.
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)

World War 1 Service

26 Jul 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2290, 26th Infantry Battalion
27 Sep 1915:	Involvement Private, 2290, 26th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: ''
27 Sep 1915:	Embarked Private, 2290, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Walter William Young was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery at Pozieres, France.

'In the attack on Pozieres Ridge on 29th July, 1916, he carried out his duties as runner in a conspicuous manner and assisted his Company Commander who was wounded, to safety. During the operations on 4th/5th August, 1916, he was attached to his Company Commander as a runner. He carried out his duties under most trying conditions. He carried several despatches through heavy shell fire and was finally wounded while taking a message along the captured trenches which at that time was not a continuous line. His courage and devotion to duty throughout were most marked.' Walter spent time recovering from a wound to the hand in England before rejoining his battalion in France on Christmas eve 1916. He disappeared during the fiercest of fighting at Bullecourt.

Walter’s younger brother, 6608 Pte. Leslie Keith Young 12th Battalion AIF, had been killed in action three weeks prior to Walter’s death, sometime between 6th/10th April, 1917, near Boursies in France. He was still only 18 years of age.

Another brother, 2291 Frank Clyde Robert Young had enlisted on the same day as Walter in the 26th Battalion and they were issued consecutive regimental numbers. Frank transferred to the Australian Flying Corps after being wounded at Pozieres and served as a mechanic. He returned to Australia during 1919.

They were the sons of Francis T. and Esther E. Young, of Hythe, Tasmania.

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