Leslie Walter Young, Dorset, Cavalry, MGC, France.

[Ben Siebach]

Still researching on this end!  Thanks for all the input and information.  Please find some additional medal pictures.  No additional stories to report at this point.  

[Ben Siebach]

[kenf48]

6 hours ago, Ben Siebach said:

 Please find some additional medal pictures.  No additional stories to report at this point.  

Thank you for the clarification. 

The images show the British War Medal and Victory Medal applied for and received by, Lt Young. Unfortunately they tell us nothing new as to which unit to the MGC (Cavalry) he was attached to in France. The other items are an identity disc which was probably a private purchase and a Badge of Rank, a simplified Bath Star worn on the shoulder and referred to as a 'star' or 'pip' the Latin motto is taken from the Order of the Bath, translated 'Three joined in one".  Once again neither object gives any clue as to his unit.

Finally, as previously noted he was not awarded the Imperial Yeomanry Long Service and Good Conduct Medal which is named to L/Cpl 345  C.E. Young of the Dorset Yeomanry. It tells us nothing about Lt. Young's service, but is nonetheless interesting not least due to its rarity.  There is a list of recipients held at TNA https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16540858 but has not been digitised and a Google Search shows it has been reproduced by Spink and is available online from various sources mostly in the US and behind a $1 paywall which you might find easier to negotiate.

I cannot find 345 Young in the WW1 Records, this does not mean he did not serve but he does not appear to have been awarded medals.  Cpl. 342 Reginald Holloway, Dorset Yeomanry was kia at Gallipoli on 21.5.1915 and is listed on the Corps of Hussars Medal Roll but no service record.

There is a Caleb Edwin Young in the Anglo Boer War Records. Regtl. number 5338 26 Dorset Company Imperial Yeomanry served in South Africa. He may have been renumbered in 1908 on the formation of the TF. Is he a relative? The 1921 Census has a Caleb Edwin Young aged 51, a farmer at Calmar House Bristol Road Sherborne.  He is of an age to have been eligible for the medal. He was married to Mary Rebecca with a daughter Marian.  Very speculative but I wonder if he gave the medal to Leslie when he left for America.

Still no closer to his unit in France.

[Ben Siebach]

Kenf48, thank you for your work.  I will continue digging for clues of his service.  The Keep Museum in Dorset has come up empty.  This forum has been the most helpful and enlightening!  

Caleb Edwin Young is my 2nd great granduncle (Leslie's grandfather's brother).  He passed away in 1924 at the age of 54.  It certainly makes sense that the medal would have been passed on to Leslie, with both serving in the DY.  I have now posted images of that medal along with Kenf48's provided details into the Memories section of FamilySearch.  That might spur some additional detail elsewhere in the family tree.  

Is there any clue in these ribbons?  (there are a couple boxing awards there.  My grandfather's nickname was "Spider Young" and he apparently was a decent boxer.  

[Ben Siebach]

I spoke with my mother this morning about Leslie and gathered one more clue.  She said he spent time in the hospital in France with pneumonia.  So...

Gets to France in July 1918.  100 day push begins in August.  Armistice in November.  Discharged in January 1919.  Brief tour of duty there.  Does the hospital stay lead to other records to explore, which may list his unit?  

[kenf48]

The Sherborne Boxing Club met at the end of April 1920 when Leslie participated in a bout during which he struck his opponent when he was down and was, therefore disqualified.

This tells us he was back home by then.

The Western Gazette April 30 1920

12 minutes ago, Ben Siebach said:

 She said he spent time in the hospital in France with pneumonia.

As he was attached to MGC he would have gone on the Depot strength of his original regiment, i.e. Dorset Yeomanry Find My Past has the MH106 Admission Records (representative sample so not complete) He is not recorded there either.

It is frustrating, his officer record at TNA appears to have been weeded Discovery only returns his medal index card.

 

[Ben Siebach]

Kenf48

Thanks for the boxing detail.  Attached are the fronts and backs for the boxing awards we have (2).  Is there any mention of other Youngs fighting in the same venue?  We understand other family members were active in the boxing community at that time.  

In researching a little more, it appears the third ribbon is for the British Star, which is not listed on his medal card.  We don't have that medal, either.  Given his entry date into the war in comparison to the requirements for the medal, that seems inappropriate.  

[George Rayner]

The Star is on a separate Medal Roll. I’ll post in the morning…if I can retrace my steps!

George

[kenf48]

16 hours ago, Ben Siebach said:

In researching a little more, it appears the third ribbon is for the British Star, which is not listed on his medal card.  We don't have that medal, either.  Given his entry date into the war in comparison to the requirements for the medal, that seems inappropriate.

As you observe he was not entitled to a Star

You may be interested in this account from the Western Gazette dated 26 March 1920:

Image from British Newspaper Archive on FMP

It must have been a busy week as the same edition reported B Squadron (Sherborne), Dorset Yeomanry held a dinner to mark the retirement of their Sergeant Major Cobb.You will note 'C. Young' is reported as a former Sergeant Major. I imagine C. Young the elder.

ibid

Interestingly the piece mentions their service in Gallipoli and Palestine and of course any soldier who served in the Dardanelles would have been awarded the 14-15 Star.

The plot thickens!

 

 

 

 

[George Rayner]

9 hours ago, George Rayner said:

if I can retrace my steps!

Apologies-must be thinking of another soldier. But I haven't given up yet

George

[kenf48]

20 hours ago, Ben Siebach said:

Caleb Edwin Young is my 2nd great granduncle (Leslie's grandfather's brother).  He passed away in 1924 at the age of 54.  It certainly makes sense that the medal would have been passed on to Leslie, with both serving in the DY.

It seems he was very much a local 'character' in Sherborne. There are many newspaper accounts it seems he was much in demand as an MC and entertainer, as well as a couple of misdeeds and summonses in connection with his business.  His 'impressive' obituary. in the Western Gazette details his military service. He served in the Great War but in the 2nd Line in Ireland, therefore as suspected no medals. Ireland was regarded as 'Home Service'

His obituary confirms he was awarded the Yeomanry Long Service and Good Conduct Medal as well as serving in the Boer War.

The Funeral was reported in The Western Gazette Friday March 14 1924 As you are in the U.S. reproduced in full below.  It looks as though Leslie was no longer in Sherborne as his two brothers were in attendance but not him.

Image from BNA on FMP

A bit of a diversion from Leslie but as you are the custodian of his medal thought you might be interested.

 

[Ben Siebach]

Kenf48, thank you for these insights. I don't believe our family has any of the newspaper insights you have discovered and shared.  I now have a proper folder on Caleb, an unexpected benefit of this search.  And you are correct, we are very interested in all these personalities and stories.  

I am not sure when Leslie emigrated from the UK. He was married in a small town in New York in 1923.  He married a woman from Milborne Port, Dorset, Audrey Stickland.  Milborne Port and Gloversville, New York were both leather goods and glove towns.  A steady stream of folks from Milborne Port moved back and forth between these towns, functioning almost as workforce sister cities.  

Caleb was the youngest of nine children.  He was 5 years older than Leslie's dad.  I imagine he was much more an uncle than a great-uncle and was a strong influence on Leslie.  Leslie was also an avid horseman, sportsman and outdoorsman, perhaps picked up from Caleb.  Now familiarizing myself with Caleb's history through the articles you shared, I imagine Leslie told me stories that he had heard from Caleb.  

A side note: Leslie had a brother born in February 1900 who passed in 1904.  His name was Modderfontein Redvers Kimberly Young.  I wonder if that name was given the child as a tribute to a Boer War battle Caleb participated in.  

[FROGSMILE]

34 minutes ago, Ben Siebach said:

Kenf48, thank you for these insights. I don't believe our family has any of the newspaper insights you have discovered and shared.  I now have a proper folder on Caleb, an unexpected benefit of this search.  And you are correct, we are very interested in all these personalities and stories.  

I am not sure when Leslie emigrated from the UK. He was married in a small town in New York in 1923.  He married a woman from Milborne Port, Dorset, Audrey Stickland.  Milborne Port and Gloversville, New York were both leather goods and glove towns.  A steady stream of folks from Milborne Port moved back and forth between these towns, functioning almost as workforce sister cities.  

Caleb was the youngest of nine children.  He was 5 years older than Leslie's dad.  I imagine he was much more an uncle than a great-uncle and was a strong influence on Leslie.  Leslie was also an avid horseman, sportsman and outdoorsman, perhaps picked up from Caleb.  Now familiarizing myself with Caleb's history through the articles you shared, I imagine Leslie told me stories that he had heard from Caleb.  

A side note: Leslie had a brother born in February 1900 who passed in 1904.  His name was Modderfontein Redvers Kimberly Young.  I wonder if that name was given the child as a tribute to a Boer War battle Caleb participated in.  

All of his three Christian/Forenames relate to the second Boer War, which was a strange period in the national consciousness with one outcome being a craze to name people, houses, and especially streets, after famous names and places from the war that had become preserved in people’s minds.  For example Redvers was the first name of a British Army General who, a VC Winner in the infamous 1879 Zulu war, was popular enough to become a household name, but who bungled very badly during some battles to the extent that he faded into ignominy and, eventually, obscurity.  Yet his name lives on today….

Edited 10 March by FROGSMILE