Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to include a Fine Collection of Napoleonic Medals

A fine archive and related miniature dress medals and militaria appertaining to Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. Young, D.S.O., East Yorkshire Regiment, who commanded the 1st Battalion in France and Flanders in late 1914 before being appointed C.O. of the 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment in May 1915, in which capacity he saw action at Loos and on the Somme in July 1916:

His mounted group of six miniature dress medals, comprising: Distinguished Service Order, V.R., gold and enamel; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal, Wittebergen; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902; 1914 Star, with clasp; British War and Victory Medals, mounted as worn from worn ribands

A presentation silver salver, hallmarks for London 1890, with central engraved crest and inscription, ‘To Walter H. Young from the Bachelors, 2nd Bn. The East Yorkshire Regt., 9th September 1897’, 31 cm. diameter

An old Turkish dagger, steel blade, gilt scabbard, wooden grip with gilt pommel, complete with cord belt-tassel for wearing, 38cm. overall length; together with a length braid taken from Young’s sword belt and several East Yorkshire Regiment buttons, etc.

A magnificent leather-bound scrapbook, approx. 120pp., containing a mass of career documents, photographs, cuttings, programmes, invitations, letters and obituary notices, including official War Office correspondence, mention in despatches certificates (3), dated 14 January 1915 (French), and 30 April and 13 November 1916 (Haig), Great War period field messages and signals, photographs taken from a captured German dug-out on 1 July 1916, membership certificate for the Ypres League, hand written statement of services, and much besides, including a letter addressed to Young’s father in Benares, sent via Marseilles and Calcutta, with V.R. 6d., 2d. and 1d. stamps; together with another impressive leather-bound scrap book, approx. 55pp., as kept by the Young’s daughter, and therefore with additional contents relating to the Colonel’s career; together with a quantity of card-mounted studio portrait photographs of Young (approx. 10), and a silhouette of him in uniform, this framed and glazed

Two family histories, comprising A Genealogical Account of the Descendants of James Young, Merchant Burgess of Aberdeen and Rachel Cruickshank, his Wife, 1697-1893 (University Press, Aberdeen, 1894), 264pp. with interior ink inscription, ‘Walter Herbert Young, East Yorkshire Regiment’, and a quantity of related newspaper announcements; A Short Memoir of James Young, Merchant Burgess of Aberdeen and Rachel Cruickshank, his Spouse (James Craighead & Co., Aberdeen, n.d.), bindings worn; and a quantity of family card-mounted studio portrait photographs, including Young’s brother, Major N. E. Young, D.S.O., Royal Artillery (Lot) £600-800

Walter Herbert Young was born in Southborough, Kent in February 1870, the son of Major-General Charles Metcalfe Young, late Bengal Artillery, and a scion of the Earls of Mar. Educated at the U.S.C. Westward Ho! and the R.M.C. Sandhurst, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the East Yorkshire Regiment in March 1899.

A Captain by the time of the Boer War, he was present in the actions at Hout Nek, Biddulpsberg and Wittebergen, in addition to serving as a Staff Officer in later operations in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony in 1901-02 (Queen’s Medal & 3 clasps; King’s Medal & 2 clasps). He was mentioned in despatches and given the Brevet of Major.

A substantive Major by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Young was quickly embarked for France in the 1st Battalion and took command after Colonel R. E. Benson was mortally wounded on the Aisne on 20 September. He was mentioned in despatches by Sir John French and appointed Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel in February 1915.

Having then taken command of the 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, he was present at the battle of Loos, slightly wounded in November 1915, and remained in command of the battalion on the Somme in July 1916. He returned to the U.K. in September 1916 and was awarded the D.S.O. and twice mentioned in despatches.

A brief period of active service having ensued in France in early 1917, when he was hospitalised, Young remained employed in the U.K. until the war’s end and was placed on the Retired List in June. The Colonel, who for many years was editor of the regimental magazine The Snapper, died at Farnham, Surrey in April 1940, aged 70.