Military Medal & Bar : Corporal William Ramsay Young, 27 Battalion, AIF

Military Medal & bar (Geo V). Impressed edge with recipient's details.

1794 William Ramsay (Ramsey) Young was born in Scotland on 13 July 1894. He worked as a butcher in Adelaide before enlisting in the AIF on 3 May 1915. Posted to the 27th Battalion, Young was promoted to lance corporal shortly after the battalion arrived at Gallipoli in September 1915. After Gallipoli the battalion moved to France where he was promoted to corporal on 1 September 1916, then sergeant on 6 November.

On 1 January 1917, Young was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for three separate actions as a stretcher bearer the previous year at Armentieres, Messines and Pozieres.

In November 1916, the 7th Brigade participated in an attack on the German lines north of Flers. The 27th Battalion was on the right of the Australian advance, tasked with capturing and holding the heavily defended Bayonet Trench. Rain, deep mud, and bombardments made movement difficult. Trenches that were not obliterated were filled with water. Some of the men, already exhausted from the effort of moving to the jump-off trenches, were bogged and had to be dug out before they could attack.

The attack failed, and hundreds of dead and wounded lay in No Man’s Land. Stretcher-bearers fought through mud and enemy fire to reach the casualties, and many became casualties themselves. A number of wounded died in the open while awaiting collection. Urgent messages were received at brigade headquarters for bearers, stretchers and blankets. The 27th Battalion commander, Lieutenant-Colonel James Slane sent: 'Can you send me some fresh stretcher bearers forward – many of mine have been killed or wounded and there are numerous wounded men awaiting collection and removal. I only have eight stretchers.'

In the brigade’s attack and subsequent withdrawal, the 27th Battalion suffered almost 300 casualties, killed, wounded or missing. For 40 hours, in freezing conditions and under heavy fire, Young worked to bring in the wounded. For his actions, he was recommended for another DCM, but was awarded the Military Medal. The recommendation for the award reads:

'During the attack on German trenches N of Flers on morning of 5th Nov. 1916 this man worked incessantly for 40 hours. He showed a dogged determination in continuing his work, organising parties & getting them down to R.A.P. [Regimental Aid Post]. He searched NO MANS’S LAND throughout the hours of daylight on both 5th and 6th Nov. He was under heavy shell and machine-gun fire the whole time. He did exceedingly good work at POZIERES on 4/5th August 1916.’

On 12 July 1917 Young was posted to England for duty with training battalions, returning to his unit in France on 9 January 1918. On 10 June 1918, 7th Brigade launched an attack to improve their position between Sailly-Laurette and Morlancourt. The 27th Battalion, on the right of the attack, met little resistance early, but was subjected to heavy opposition as they approached the final objective. During the latter stage, Young accounted for an enemy machine gun post single handed before being wounded. For his actions he was awarded a bar to his Military Medal. He received the ribbon for the award on the banks of the Somme near Lamotte-Brebière on 13 July. The recommendation for the award reads:

'During the operation South of MORLANCOURT near Albert on night June 10/11th 1918, just before reaching the final objective, the enemy opened fire with a machine gun, and Sergt. YOUNG immediately rushed the trench and single handed accounted for the gun crew. In doing so he received a bayonet wound to the foot. He refused to leave his men, and during the consolidation rendered valuable assistance to his Company Commander. His fearlessness and energy were an outstanding example to the whole of his company.'

Young was promoted to temporary company sergeant major (warrant officer class II) later that month. The rank was made substantive on 2 September. He was in England in a training role when the war ended. He returned to Australia on 15 April 1919.

During the Second World War he served with training and garrison battalions before being discharged medically unfit on 13 October 1942. Survived by his wife Caroline and two children, Young died on 9 January 1965 at the Adelaide Repatriation Hospital.