John Francis Young
Private, 87th Battalion. Quebec Regiment. * Canadian Expeditionary Force
- Register No.
- 1345 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 87th Battalion. Quebec Regiment. * Canadian Expeditionary Force (register: 87th Battalion, CEF) all CEF VCs →
- Date of action
- 2 September 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 14th December 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 14th January 1893 at Kidderminster, Worcestershire
- Died
- 7th November 1929, at Quebec, Canada
- Memorial / grave
- at Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, Canada
- Medal held by
- unknown
Digest of citation
Throughout the operations on the 2nd 3rd and 4th September 1918, whilst acting as a stretcher bearer he showed the greatest Valour and devotion to duty. On the 2nd September 1918, in an attack at the Dury Arras Sector, France, whilst attached to D company, the company came under heavy shell and machine-gun fire: causing them to suffer many casualties. Without hesitation, Private Young went out into the open, where there was a complete absence of cover and the area was being swept with enemy fire, and there worked ceaselessly to dress the wounds on the casualties. He returned to replenish his supplies of bandages and dressings, all of the time under extremely heavy enemy fire, on more than one occasion. For over an hour he continued this heroic work. When the enemy fire had died down, he personally led parties of stretcher-bearers to bring in the casualties that he had dressed earlier
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
YOUNG, John Francis. (reg No. 1345).
Private. 87th Battalion. Quebec Regiment. * Canadian Expeditionary Force.
London Gazetted on 14th December 1918.
VC Medal's Custodian is unknown.
Born on 14th January 1893 at Kidderminster, Worcestershire.
Died on 7th November 1929, at Quebec, Canada.
Memorial on grave at Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, Canada.
Digest of Citation reads: Throughout the operations on the 2nd 3rd and 4th September 1918, whilst acting as a stretcher bearer he showed the greatest Valour and devotion to duty. On the 2nd September 1918, in an attack at the Dury Arras Sector, France, whilst attached to D company, the company came under heavy shell and machine-gun fire: causing them to suffer many casualties. Without hesitation, Private Young went out into the open, where there was a complete absence of cover and the area was being swept with enemy fire, and there worked ceaselessly to dress the wounds on the casualties. He returned to replenish his supplies of bandages and dressings, all of the time under extremely heavy enemy fire, on more than one occasion. For over an hour he continued this heroic work. When the enemy fire had died down, he personally led parties of stretcher-bearers to bring in the casualties that he had dressed earlier.
* Canadian Grenadier Guards.
Additional information:. Army No. 177239, Private Young moved to Montreal , Canada, where he was employed as a Tobacco Packer. It was here that he enlisted, as one of the few 'originals', on 20th October 1915 in the 87th Battalion of the Quebec Regiment. During the European War, (WW I) he was wounded.
Additional information
Army No. 177239, Private Young moved to Montreal , Canada, where he was employed as a Tobacco Packer. It was here that he enlisted, as one of the few 'originals', on 20th October 1915 in the 87th Battalion of the Quebec Regiment. During the European War, (WW I) he was wounded.
* Canadian Grenadier Guards.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal, Canada
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