sapper ralph young

[hendy]

dear pals looking through archives at our local library i found this chap who is buried in a local cemetery his name is ralph young sapper y237 south african engineers died 26/3/1919 aged 52 place of burial tweedmouth cemertery any information on this gentleman would be gratefully recieved. was a 52year old quite an age to be in the forces and why was he with thesouth african engineers,and was he local to the northumberland area

[alliekiwi]

Commonwealth War Graves site has:

Name: YOUNG, RALPH

Initials: R

Nationality: South African

Rank: Sapper

Regiment/Service: South African Engineers

Unit Text: Miscellaneous Trades Coy.

Age: 52

Date of Death: 26/03/1919

Service No: Y237

Additional information: Son of Henry and Margaret Young, of 54, Shielfield Terrace, Tweedmouth.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: A. U. 5.

Cemetery: TWEEDMOUTH CEMETERY

I wonder if he might have been living or travelling in South Africa when the war broke out, so therefor joined the SA forces? Possibly working in mining diamonds or something, hence then becoming a sapper?

Allie

[hendy]

thans allie for the reply i presume he died from injuries or non war related illness to be buried in his parents home town,but at52 he was quite old to be in the forces or am i wrong