Thomas Young VC

b. 28/01/1895 Boldon Colliery, County Durham. d. 15/10/1966 Whickham, County Durham

Thomas Young (1895-1966) was born on 28th January 1895 at 2 Hedworth Lane, High Spen, Boldon, County Durham, registered as Thomas Murrell. His father, also Thomas Murrell, was a bricklayer’s labourer in 1871. His surname as also been seen as Morrell. He married Mary Walker in 1890 in South Shields. He was a coach trimmer by 1891. Thomas senior died when Thomas junior was just 1. Mary remarried to Surtees Young in 1899, who was a mason and later a coal miner. Thomas had twelve siblings from his mother’s two marriages.

Thomas was educated at High Spen Primary School and became a miner at Garesfield Colliery, High Spen.

Thomas Young VC

At the time of his enlistment, he was working as a hewer at High Spen, near Blaydon, just one of thousands of Durham miners who served in their county’s regiment during the Great War. At the start of the War, the 9th Durham Light Infantry had been at camp in North Wales. The Battalion returned to Durham for training prior to being posted to the Western Front. The 9th finally disembarked at Boulogne on 20th April 1915 and was immediately thrown into the Second Battle of Ypres. In the ranks was stretcher bearer Thomas Young.

As part of the 151st Brigade of the 50th Division, the 9th served at Ypres, on the Somme, at Arras and at Passchendaele. On 16th September 1916 at High Wood, on the Somme, Thomas was wounded in the left thigh by a bullet and was evacuated to England, where he was out of action until May 1917.

During the period 25th – 31st March 1918 at Bucquoy, France, Private Young, a stretcher-bearer, worked unceasingly evacuating the wounded from seemingly impossible places. On nine different occasions he went out in front of British lines in broad daylight, under heavy rifle, machine-gun and shell fire and brought back wounded to safety. Those too badly wounded to be moved before dressing, he dressed under fire and then carried them back unaided. He saved nine lives in this manner.

He was presented with his VC by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 29th June 1918 and shortly afterwards returned to Gateshead for a spell of leave. However, much to his surprise, he was met by five coal mine officials who were waiting to take him to his home in a pony and trap. The pony took them along Scotswood Road in Blaydon, where it rested, and then on to High Spen. Tommy lived in a house in East Street and it was dressed with flags and bunting and the Earl of Durham gave him a watch, some War Bonds and a silver cigarette case. He was also given a civic reception in front of 15,000 people at Saltwell Park, Gateshead.

After the war Young went back to work in the mines but he was unable to keep his job as a hewer because of ill-health and took on a new job as a £9 a week baths attendant at the mine where he worked. In 1923, he appeared in court along with a companion, Samuel Cutter, on a charge of having stolen some chickens. He was placed on probation and Young’s solicitor stated that “Young was so drunk that he did not know what he was doing. Young slept on the kitchen floor that night and next morning woke to find hens beside him.”

Thomas married Rachel Welsh in 1919 in Gateshead. She was a farm worker. It is believed that they had five children – Marian, Isabel, Rita, Thomas and John Walker. Thomas attended the VC Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in 1920, the VC Dinner at the House of Lords in 1929, the Victory Day Celebration Dinner & Reception at the Dorchester in 1946, the VC Centenary Celebrations in Hyde Park, London in 1956, and the 3rd and 4th VC and GC Association Reunions at the Cafe Royal, London in 1962 and 1964.

In 1939 he re-enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry but, when his wife died in April 1940, he was discharged in order to look after his young family. He then served in the Home Guard. His life was marred by ill health, alcohol and financial difficulties. While on Home Guard duty on one of the Tyne bridges he is said to have had a tin box between his feet, begging for contributions.

Thomas died at Whickham Council Men’s Hostel, The Hermitage, Front Street, Whickham, County Durham on 15th October 1966. His medals were displayed at his funeral in which the Last Post was sounded. He was buried with his wife in St Patrick’s Cemetery, High Spen, County Durham. Thomas is commemorated with a memorial at High Spen Primary School (along with Frederick Dobson VC), on the Durham Light Infantry Museum commemorative stone, on the Honours Board at Gateshead Library, and with a VC commemorative stone unveiled on 27th March 2018 at the Boldon Colliery War Memorial.

In addition to the VC, he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-19, George VI Coronation Medal 1937, and Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953. Thomas had to pawn his gold watch and VC in 1936. They were spotted by a former 9th Durham Light Infantry officer and were bought by the Regiment for £50 and £60 respectively. The medals were held by the Durham Light Infantry Museum until it closed. The medal group is due to feature in the new museum which will be part of “The Light” in Durham, due to open in the summer of 2026.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: THE LIGHT, AYKLEY HEADS, DURHAM.

BURIAL PLACE: ST PATRICKS CHURCHYARD, HIGH SPEN, DURHAM.