Cecil Ernest Young was born at Rokewood, Victoria, in 1898. He was the son of John Young and Sarah Jane Young nee Way.[1] Cecil's mother died at the time Cecil was born.
John Young did not remarry and Cecil and his brother Jack were brought up by some of his paternal aunts.Cecil enlisted in the Australian Infantry, A.I.F, in December 1915. He was only seventeen and a half but he advanced his date of birth by one year. He described his trade as a butcher but was not an apprentice. He declared he had served with the senior cadets at Footscray for 9 months (no kit had been issued as the annotation stated it was an exempt area). He was only a small man: 5 feet 5 1/4 inches tall weighing 123 1/2 lbs (just under 9 stone or 60 kg). He had two tattoos: a ship and two clasped hands on his left forearm, a rose with “Myrtle” on his right forearm.[2]
In April 1916 Private C E Young (5115) was appointed to the 24th Battallion, 13th reinforcements.[2]
He embarked from Australia in July 1917 arriving Plymouth, England in September and departing Folkestone, England in November 1916 and taken on strength in France 21 December 1916. He was with the 24th battalion reinforcing the second division. He was sick with scabies in hospital in mid-June 1917 and rejoined his unit at the end of the month. He was wounded in action on 20 September 1917 with gunshot wounds to his right ear and his right thigh. He was transferred to an ambulance train and three weeks later to hospital in England. In January he was discharged to furlough and later that month he was admonished by a major following disorderly conduct and refusal to obey an order given by the Military Police. In April he was returned to Australia disembarking in early June and he was discharged from the AIF at Melbourne as medically unfit on 26 July 1918. The last stamped annotation to his AIF file is “Application for war service leave gratuity passed Feb 28 1919”.[2]
By August 1918 he was in Homebush staying with his aunt and uncle George and Charlotte Wilkins.
Cecil married Elizabeth Cross in Malvern, Victoria, on 29 May 1920. He was 21 years old, a butcher residing at Whalley Street Northcote and his usual place of residence was Homebush, Victoria.[3] They had one son together but separated immediately after marriage.
Cecil also had three sons and three daughters with Esther Irene Whiteman nee Milton.
Cecil died 9 September 1975 at Heidelberg, Victoria and was cremated at Fawkner Memorial Park. He is memorialised at plot FA-NLAB*I*9**1[4]
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Categories: Homebush, Victoria | 24th Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, World War I