Private Harold Bede Young, 17th Battalion, AIF

Harold Young was born in 1899 in Gulgong, New South Wales, to William and Catherine Young. His mother died when he was only three or four years old. He attended school at the Sisters of Mercy at St Matthew’s Convent Schools in Mudgee, before going on to work in the post office.

Four of Harold’s older brothers had enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force before Harold turned 18, and he wanted to enlist once he came of age.

In May 1916, his brother, Private James Young of the 1st Battalion, died of wounds the day after being shot in the head. The following September, Private Douglas Young of the 3rd Battalion was shot through the neck and spent months in hospital before returning to Australia severely disabled.

Harold remained undaunted, and in April 1917, two months after he had turned 18, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in East Sydney with his father’s permission. He told his father that during the process he was complimented by the medical officer on his splendid physique. He underwent a period of training in Australia before leaving Sydney on 16 June 1917 with reinforcements to the 17th Battalion.

On the way to England the troopship stopped at Durban, South Africa, where Private Young sent a letter to his father, mentioning in passing that he had a slight cold. By the time the ship arrived in England, he was seriously ill with what was diagnosed as tuberculosis. He was taken to Keppel-Palace Hospital in Devonport, which specialised in treatment of tuberculosis.

William Young was sent weekly updates of his son’s condition, and eventually it became clear to him that it was unlikely that Harold would recover.

He wrote to the authorities saying, “I wish to go over to him and be with him at the last … I have given all of my sons (five) to my country … of course I do not complain of that, if I had five more I would not like a shirker among them.”

With confirmation that Harold was too ill to be sent back to Australia, William Young set out on the long journey to England to be with his dying son.

One of Harold Young’s brothers had visited regularly during his illness, and on 6 January he was joined by their father. William Young remained by his youngest son’s side until he died just two days later.

Harold Young was 18 years old.

 

Meleah Hampton, Historian, Military History Section

• Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/AWM2017.1.215