Thomas James Young

Thomas James Young VC (1827 - 20 March 1869) was a 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 approximately 30 years old, and a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, serving with a Naval Brigade during the Indian rebellion of 1857 when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 16 November 1857 at Lucknow, India, naval guns were brought up close to the Shah Nujeff mosque, and the gun crews kept up a steady fire in an attempt to breach the walls, while a hail of musket balls and grenades from the mutineers inside the mosque caused heavy casualties. Lieutenant Young moved from gun to gun giving encouragement, and when he and an able seaman (William Hall) were the only survivors, all the rest being killed or wounded, Lieutenant Young took the last gunner's place and between them they loaded and fired the gun.

He later achieved the rank of Captain. He married Louisa Mary Boyes, the sister of Duncan Gordon Boyes.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Maritime Museum "(Greenwich, England)".