Pte 42391 William Henry Young

• Age: 30
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

William Henry Young was born in 1887 in Liverpool, the son of Andrew Young and his wife Lucy Ellen (nee Neal) who were married in 1872 in Sunderland.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 59 Kirby Street, Everton, Liverpool.

His mother Lucy is recorded as a widow aged 34, born 1857, and is a charwoman who was born in Spalding, Somerset. She has five children living with her at the time of the Census; Andrew aged 15, born in Sunderland 1876 and employed as an apprentice in stationery, Elizabeth aged 12, born 1879, Emily aged 7, born 1884 and William Henry aged 5, born 1886 are all at school and youngest daughter Fanny A. is aged 3, born 1888.

His mother died aged 38 in 1894, although she was born circa 1852 so her age appears to be incorrect. She was buried on the 14th October 1894 at Anfield Cemetery, her address 13 Ruth Street, Everton.

A Pension record exists for his brother John Young who enlisted in the King's Royal Rifles in 1897, he gave his next of kin as father Andrew, brother Andrew and sister Elizabeth all of the Norton Hotel(public house), Norton Street, Liverpool. He served in South Africa and Somaliland.

The 1901 Census shows William Henry living at 46, Norton Street Islington, Liverpool with his sister and her husband.

The head of the household is Frank Roughsedge who is aged 28, born 1873, and is a public house manager and was born in Liverpool. His wife Elizabeth is aged 22 and born in 1879 and has no occupation listed. They have one son named John who was born in 1901. William Henry is now aged 14, born 1887 and a hosiers shop boy. There is a further two residents, Mary Edwards aged 19, born 1882 in Liverpool and employed as a general servant and Henry Gwynne a boarder aged 24, born 1877 in Herefordshire and he is employed as a barman.

He married Margaret O'Neill on the 29th August 1909 at St Mary Magdalene's Church, Liverpool. William was a 23 year old barman, his father Andrew Young, a seaman (deceased), whilst Margaret was 22, her father John Francis O'Neil, and they gave their address as 46 Norton Street.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 54 Handfield Street, Everton, Liverpool. 

William Henry is aged 24, born 1887 and his occupation is a barman and he was born in Liverpool. His wife Margaret is aged 23, born 1888 no occupation and was also born in Liverpool. They have been married for under two years and have one child Frank who was born in 1911. They have also a boarder John Cottle who is aged 48, born 1863 and occupation waiter living at their address and he was born in Shropshire.  

He enlisted in Seaforth, Liverpool and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 42391 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 30 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

Passchendaele 31^st July 1917

17^th Battalion

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17^th Battalion on the left, and the 20^th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21^st and 90^th Brigades were still pinned down  and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.  

During the action and their time in the line the 17^th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3^rd -4^th August.      

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His elder brother Andrew, a married tailor of 88 Beacon Lane died in 1917 at the age of 44. He was remarkably and coincidentally buried on the 31st July 1917 at Anfield Cemetery.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Margaret, and children Frank Henry, William, and Ethel.

William Henry is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 30.

We currently have no further information on William Henry Young, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.