Name
William John Young
24 April 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/01/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
965577
Royal Field Artillery
8th (London) Bde.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
RENINGHELST NEW MILITARY CEMETERY
II. A. 15.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, All Saints Church Memorial, Kings Langley, Kings Langley Village Memorial, Not on the John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley
Pre War
William John Young was born on 24 April 1896 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts the only son of William Jabez and Eliza Young and one of 7 children. He was baptised at St Pauls, Hemel Hempstead on 19 July 1896.
0n the 1901 Census he was living with his uncle and aunt, Herbert and Pamela Bates at Canterbury Road, Willesborough, Kent, when he was a four year old. His parents and siblings were living at 20 Redhouse Road, Hemel Hempstead and his father was working as a Labourer at the Paper Mill. His mother died in 1901.
On the 1911 Census he was 14 years old and living as a boarder at Rucklers Green, Kings Langley, Herts, the home of Joseph and Emily Warters, and working as a Printer's Assistant in the paper factory (Apsley Mills). His father was a visitor at the home of his sister Edith who also lived at Rucklers Lane.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war William enlisted at Plumstead, East London, on 30 October 1914 and joined the 8th London (Reserve) (Howitzer) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery as a 'Trumpeter', They trained in the area around St Albans and Apsley and were billeted at Shendish (between Hemel Hempstead and Kings Langley) prior to being sent to France.
They landed at le Havre on 16 March 1915 as part of the 238th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, and he would have seen action in the Battles of Festubert and Loos later in the year.
In 1916 he reported sick for three days in January and was docked three days pay in February for neglect of duty. He fought at Vimy Ridge in May and had seven days home leave in June, receiving signals training in July. He was slightly wounded by shell fire in August and spent seven days recovering, followed by action at the Battles of Flers-Courcelette in September and Transloy Ridge in October.
In December William was sent on a wireless course and was redesignated as a Telephonist. By this time the Brigade had moved to Hazebrouck. Later in the month he was sick with pyrexia (fever), but recovered and rejoined his unit on 4 January 1917.
He was killed in action near Hazebrouck on 10 January 1917 during nearly two hours of heavy enemy shelling. He is buried at Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Belgium. A memorial service was held in All Saints Church, Kings Langley on 29 April 1917.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £9 10s and pay owing of £14 17s 5d. Pension cards exist but give no indication of the amount of any pension received.
*1 A W Young appears on the John Dickinson memorials, but we do not believe him to be this man as the man on that memorial is recorded as in the Hertfordshire Regiment.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.dacorumheritage.co.uk, www.hemelatwar.org. www,hemelheroes.com.
