St. John Graham Young

Lieutenant St. John Graham Young GC (16 June 1921–24 July 1944) was posthumously awarded the George Cross, the highest British (and Commonwealth) award for bravery out of combat, for his heroism in rescuing his comrades from a minefield in Italy on 23 July 1944. He was serving with the Royal Tank Regiment, attached to the Indian Armoured Corps.cite web
url=http://www.gc-database.co.uk/recipients/YoungSG.htm
title=St. John Graham Young, GC
publisher=George Cross database
accessdate=2008-05-25] cite web
url=http://www.gc-database.co.uk/alpha.htm
title=George Cross Recipients - Summary Index
publisher=George Cross database
accessdate=2008-05-25]

Notice of the award was published in the "London Gazette" on 20 July 1945. [LondonGazette|issue=37185|supp=yes|startpage=3765|date=17 July 1945|accessdate=2008-05-27] Young had been leading a night patrol on 23 July 1944, when he and his men found themselves in any enemy minefield. He received the full force of a mine explosion, severely injuring both legs. Despite his wounds, his encouragement enabled the majority of his men to reach safety. One of them, Sowar Ditto Ram, was also posthumously awarded the GC for his actions in the same incident.cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2098122|title=Commonwealth War Graves Commission—Casualty details—Young, St John Graham|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|accessdate=2008-05-27]

Young was born in Esher in Surrey and commissioned into the RTR in 1942. [LondonGazette|issue=35433|supp=yes|startpage=438|date=23 January 1942|accessdate=2008-05-27] He is buried in Arezzo War Cemetery.

References

* Kempton, Chris, The Victoria Crosses and George Crosses of the Honourable East India Company and Indian Army, Military Press, 2001, ISBN 0 85420 309 5