Young, David Cumming (Private, b.1908 – d.1967)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of NX12780 Private David Cumming Young, Australian Army Service Corps, 6 Division, Second Australian Imperial Force, the Middle East and Australia, 1941-1942; 2009.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one diary of Private David Cumming Young, and one handwritten transcript of the diary. The diary contains entries dated between 10 August 1941 and 28 May 1942, and covers the period of Private Young’s service as a driver with the Australian Army Service Corps, 6 Division, in Egypt, Palestine, Libya and Greece. In his diary, Private Young writes about his embarkation from Sydney, having leave in Bombay, recreational activities on board the ship, bombardments of the ship by enemy aircraft, arriving in the Middle East, guarding stores of supplies, playing card games, enemy air raids, working as a driver, travelling in convoys, transporting supplies, driving in the area around Tobruk, having mechanical issues with his vehicle, receiving letters from home, going on leave, transporting troops in a convoy, gambling, and going absent without leave for short periods of time. He goes on to write about travelling to Greece, loading ammunition, travelling close to the front lines, seeing large numbers of civilian refugees, hearing news of the German advance, assisting in the Allied retreat, German bombing raids, having an accident while driving in the dark, hearing rumours about the war on other fronts, bombs dropping close to his vehicle, being machine gunned by enemy aircraft, the low morale of Allied troops, being evacuated from Greece by boat, being transferred to another boat when the first was damaged in an air raid, arriving on Crete, going to hospital with an severe rash on his arm, heavy enemy air raids, and evacuating from Crete. The handwritten transcript was compiled from Private Young’s diary by his niece in 2009.