David Younger

David Reginald Younger
Born	17 March 1871 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	11 July 1900 † (aged 29) Krugersdorp, South Africa
Buried	Krugersdorp Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	The Gordon Highlanders
Battles / wars	Tirah Campaign Chitral Expedition Second Boer War †
Awards	Victoria Cross

David Reginald Younger VC (17 March 1871 – 11 July 1900) was a Scottish 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. Quoting from North East Medals : Born on March 17, 1871, Captain Younger, after serving as an officer of the Duke of Edinburgh's Edinburgh Artillery, commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant into the Gordon Highlanders on December 23, 1893, fighting at Chitral and on the Punjab Frontier, 1895, 1897-8, including the gallant and historic assault and capture of the Dargai Heights, in October, 1897. The medal and three clasps (which can be seen in the photo above) were obtained by him for these trying services in India. But for his sad but heroic death, the Victoria Cross, as stated in the Gazette, would have been his to wear as well. It bas now been delivered to his relatives in accordance with the Regulation approved by H.M. The King in 1902.

Captain David Reginald Younger

Details

Younger was 29 years old, and a captain in the 1st Battalion, The Gordon Highlanders, British Army during the Second Boer War when the deed described below took place near Krugersdorp for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross (posthumously) after he died of injuries received during the Battle of Dwarsvlei on 11 July 1900: The Gordon Highlanders under Major-General Smith-Dorrien were orderd to march from Krugersdorp towards Hekpoot. About 15 km's from Krugersdorp they were encountered by a commando under Vecht-Generaal Oosthuizen who opened fire from mountain ridges above the road. The battle was fierce and it was only after dark that the British managed to extricate their guns, wagons and wounded and limped back to Krugersdorp. The engagement was described by Major-General Smith-Dorrien as their 'most trying fight of the whole war'. Younger's actions were described" This Officer, during the action near Krugersdorp, on the 11th July, 1900, volunteered for and took out the party which successfully dragged a Royal Artillery waggon under cover of a small kopje, though exposed to a very heavy and accurate fire at only 850 yards range. He also accompanied the second party of volunteers who went out to try and bring in one of the guns. During the attempt he was mortally wounded, dying shortly afterwards. His cool and gallant conduct was the admiration of all who witnessed it.

Memorial Stone - Capt. David Reginald Younger

Items of Interest - Relating to Battles in the Same Area

William Eagleson Gordon was awarded the VC for actions during the same engagement.

John Frederick MacKay who was awarded a VC for actions at Crows Nest Hill on 29th May 1900, was the man who "had dashed out from the safety of the right kopje, hoisted Captain Younger on his back, and carried him behind the left kopje under the concentrated fire of several hundred rifles."

Hugh Montague Trenchard was awarded the VC for actions during an engagement at the same location on 09 October 1900

In the Krugersdorp Cemetery, Captain Younger's headstone stands thirty paces away from the memorial stone to vecht-generaal Sarel Oosthuizen and his younger brother, korporaal Isak Johannes Oosthuizen (who died on 20 April 1902, a few days before the end of the war).

The battle of Dwarsvlei has also been referred to as Leeuhoek, Doornboschfontein and Onrus, all being names of farms in the area that the action took place on that day.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
• Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)

External links

• David Younger at Find a Grave
• Capt David Reginald Younger. The Malvern Register, 1865-1904. 1905. pp 215.
• Northeastmedals.co.uk
• SA Military History [1]
• The Write Squad [2]