Private Adam Young
Number: 24915
Company: 46th (Belfast) Company (New), 12th Battalion, Second Contingent
ENLISTMENT
Date: 30 January 1901
Place: Belfast
Age: 23 years stated on enlistment. (Born 19 November 1877 at Springhill, Portrush.)
Trade or calling: Nil
Place of birth: In the Parish of Ballywilliam, in or near the Town of Portrush, in the County of Antrim
Family: Single. Father John Joseph Young, Church sexton, of 27 Causeway Street, Portrush, County Antrim. Mother Margaret Jane Young (nee Hinds) (dec. 1885).
Previous military service: No
Description: Height 5' 7". Complexion fresh, eyes brown/ grey, hair brown. Tattoo girl's face right forearm..
Religion: Church of England
ACTIVE SERVICE
Date to South Africa: 1 March 1901
Date home: 25 January 1902
Service medal, clasps and other awards: Queen's South Africa Medal. Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, 1901, 1902 clasps.
DISCHARGE
Date: 25 February 1902
Place: Shorncliffe
Reason for discharge: Medically unfit for further service
Intended place of residence: 22 Causeway Street, Portrush, County Antrim
Conduct: No documents
Special qualifications: Fitter
On 15 August 1901 the Belfast Evening Telegraph published a letter from Young to his father from Vredesport, Orange River Colony, dated 17 July:
We have been on this trek over three weeks now, and have been to Ventersburg, Senepol, Bethlem, Harrismith, Frankfort, Reitz, Heilbron, and here. At Reitz we captured nearly 30 of President Steyn's staff, which included several field cornets and the general. We also got eleven thousand pounds. We burned the house where we discovered them. Steyn himself had a very narrow escape. We marched all night, and it was very cold, and then all the next day back to camp again, and we were nearly 20 hours in the saddle. We are with Broadwood's column, but where we go from here I can't say. There are great rumours that we are going home in September, but I can scarcely believe it as the Boers are still very troublesome, but I hope it is true. We are all in good health here -- myself and all the Company. I see by the papers the old yeomanry had a good reception at Belfast. I hope ours will be as good when we return.
On 13 July 1908 he married Mary Jane Gordon in the Oldpark Presbyterian Church, Belfast. At the time he was living in Belfast and working as a mechanic. At the time of the 1911 Census they were living at 16 Canning Street, Belfast, Adam working as a motor car driver.
He served in World War 1 as a Private in the Army Service Corps Special Reserve (Motor Transport) (No. CMT/1265), having enlisted at Belfast for a period of 12 months on 3 March 1913 (extended for another 12 months in 1914, and a further 12 months on the outbreak of war). He embarked for France for service with the Expeditionary Force on 16 August 1914. In 7 February 1915 he was awarded 28 days' Field Punishment No.1 and forfeited 28 days' pay for 'failing to appear on Parade and indulging in intoxicating liquor thereby rendering himself unfit to do his duty'. He was discharged on 2 March 1916 at the expiration of his term of service.
An image of Young appears in a group photo here.
Ballymoney Free Press, 6 February 1902
Northern Constitution, 1 March 1902
This page last updated 21 April 2026.