John Francis Young

He dressed wounds under fire, then led stretcher teams back.

John Francis Young was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, on 14 January 1893. He emigrated to Canada before the First World War and worked as a tobacco packer for Imperial Tobacco in Montreal. On 20 October 1915, aged twenty-two, he enlisted in the 87th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, the overseas battalion of the Canadian Grenadier Guards. He served on the Western Front as an infantry battalion stretcher-bearer, treating wounded soldiers and helping bring them back for medical care.

On 2 September 1918, during the Canadian attack on the Drocourt-Quéant Line near Dury, Young was a private attached to D Company. As the company advanced over a ridge, shelling and machine-gun fire inflicted heavy casualties. With no cover available, he went onto the exposed ground to dress the wounded. He kept working for more than an hour. Each time his supplies ran out, he crossed back through intense fire to company headquarters, collected fresh dressings and returned to the casualties.

When the German fire slackened, Young organised stretcher parties and led them to the men he had already treated. For at least another hour he directed the evacuation of more than a dozen wounded soldiers. He was injured by mustard gas during the fighting. His work continued through the operations of 3 and 4 September. The Victoria Cross citation credited his treatment and evacuation work with saving many of his comrades' lives.

His award appeared in the London Gazette supplement dated 14 December 1918. King George V presented the Victoria Cross to him at Buckingham Palace on 30 April 1919. That April he also married Ida May Thatcher in Kidderminster.

After demobilisation, Young returned to Montreal and resumed work in the tobacco industry. He maintained his connection with the Canadian Grenadier Guards through the Militia and rose to the rank of Sergeant. His postwar life was cut short by tuberculosis. Admitted to a sanatorium at Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec, he died there on 7 November 1929, aged thirty-six, and was buried in Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal.

Victoria Cross citation

No. 177239 Pte. John Francis Young, 87th Bn., Quebec R.

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in attack at Dury-Arras sector on the 2nd September, 1918, when acting as a stretcher-bearer attached to “D” Company of the 87th Bn., Quebec Regiment.

This company in the advance over the ridge suffered heavy casualties from shell and machine-gun fire.

Pte. Young, in spite of the complete absence of cover, without the least hesitation went out, and in the open fire-swept ground dressed the wounded. Having exhausted his stock of dressings, on more than one occasion he returned, under intense fire, to his company headquarters for a further supply. This work he continued for over an hour, displaying throughout the most absolute fearlessness.

To his courageous conduct must be ascribed the saving of the lives of many of his comrades.

Later, when the fire had somewhat slackened, he organised and led stretcher parties to bring in the wounded whom he had dressed.

All through the operations of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th September Pte. Young continued to show the greatest valour and devotion to duty.

The London Gazette, Supplement 31067, 14 December 1918, page 14779.