Alexander Young was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Victoria Cross, Source: Veterans Affairs Canada The Victoria Cross (official post-nominal letters VC) is the highest award for valour that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces of any rank in any service and civilians under military command. ... // Definition and linguistics The original phrase common wealth or the common weal is a calque translation of the Latin term res publica (public matters), from which the word republic comes, which was itself used as a synonym for the greek politeia as well as for the republican (i. ...

Details

A native of Oranmore, Co. Galway. He was 28 years old, and a Sergeant-Major in the Cape Police, South African Forces during the South African War (Boer War) when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. This article is about a military rank and position. ... Boer guerrillas during the Second Boer War There were two Boer wars, one in 1880-81 and the second from October 11, 1899-1902 both between the British and the settlers of Dutch origin (called Boere, Afrikaners or Voortrekkers) in South Africa that put an end to the two independent...

On 13 August 1901 at Ruiterskraal, South Africa, towards the close of the action, Sergeant-Major Young, with a handful of men, rushed some kopjes which were being held by about 20 Boers. On reaching their objective, the enemy were seen galloping back to another kopje held by the Boers. Sergeant-Major Young then galloped on some 50 yards ahead of his party and closing with the enemy, shot one of them and captured the commandant, the latter firing three times at point-blank range before being taken prisoner. August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Boer is the Afrikaans (and Dutch) word for farmer. ...

He was killed in action, Somme, France, on 19 October 1916. His name is included on a list of war dead in St. Nicholas's church, Galway. Somme is a French département named after the Somme River. ... October 19 is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ...

Further information

Served with the South African Scottish Regiment in the First World War. Also considered South African. He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ...

The medal

please update if you know where his medal is publicly displayed

Reference

• Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)

The following people are Irish recipients of the Victoria Cross. ... Monuments To Courage is a book by David Harvey, published in 1999. ... The Register of the Victoria Cross A list of all 1350 Victoria Crosses with details of each recipient ISBN 0906324033 Publisher: Cheltenham: This England Books; 1981 Size: 8vo - over 7 3/4 - 9 3/4 Pagination: 303 + 4. ... The following 78 recipients were awarded the Victoria Cross for the South African War (Boer War) (1899–1902). ...

See also

External links

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.