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.

Details

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.

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.

He was killed in action, Somme, France, on 19 October 1916.

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.

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)

See also

External links

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