Thomas James Young
Lieutenant (later Captain), Royal Navy (Naval Brigade)
- Register No.
- 1347 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant (later Captain) (register: Lieutenant) all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (Naval Brigade) all Naval Brigade VCs →
- Date of action
- 16 November 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 1st February 1849 on this day → all of 1849 →
- Born
- 1827. Actual date and place not known
- Died
- 20th March 1869 at Caen, France
- Memorial / grave
- Protestant Cemetery, Rue de Magazin á Poudre, Caen, France
- Medal held by
- the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
Digest of citation
On 16 November 1867 at Lucknow, India, naval guns were brought up close to the Shah Nujeff mosque, and the gun crews kept up a steady fire in an attempt to breach the walls, while a hail of musket balls and grenades from the mutineers inside the mosque caused heavy casualties. Lieutenant Young moved from gun to gun giving encouragement, and when he and an able seaman (see W. HALL*. Reg. No.511)were the only survivors, all the rest being killed or wounded, Lieutenant Young took the last gunners place and between them they loaded and fired the gun
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
YOUNG,Thomas James (Reg. No.1347)
Lieutenant (later Captain) Royal Navy (Naval Brigade).
London Gazetted on 1st February 1849.
VC Medal's custodian is the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
Born on: 1827. Actual date and place not known.
Died on: 20th March 1869 at Caen, France.
Memorial at: Protestant Cemetery, Rue de Magazin á Poudre, Caen, France.
Digest of Citation reads: On 16 November 1867 at Lucknow, India, naval guns were brought up close to the Shah Nujeff mosque, and the gun crews kept up a steady fire in an attempt to breach the walls, while a hail of musket balls and grenades from the mutineers inside the mosque caused heavy casualties. Lieutenant Young moved from gun to gun giving encouragement, and when he and an able seaman (see W. HALL*. Reg. No.511)were the only survivors, all the rest being killed or wounded, Lieutenant Young took the last gunners place and between them they loaded and fired the gun.
Additional information: He was the Brother-in-law of Midshipman Duncan Gordon Boyes VC. He also had Campaign Medal for the Crimea with Azov clasp as well as the Order of Medjidie, 5th Class. His Companion, AB William Hall was the first coloured man to win the VC.
Additional information
He was the Brother-in-law of Midshipman Duncan Gordon Boyes VC. He also had Campaign Medal for the Crimea with Azov clasp as well as the Order of Medjidie, 5th Class. His Companion, AB William Hall was the first coloured man to win the VC.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Protestant Cemetery, Rue de Magazin á Poudre, Caen, France
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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