67098 Henry Lawrence Savill YOUNG, DSO, MiD, 1 Irish Guards

dbf · Aug 25, 2011

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1043634.eceFrom The Times, March 12, 2004

Irish Guards officer whose bravery and resourcefulness won him an immediate DSO at Anzio

Having been with the Irish Guards in the Norwegian campaign of 1940 and the 1st Army in North Africa, Savill Young had first-hand experience of the German Army’s facility for decisive reaction if taken by surprise. The Allied landing at Anzio behind the stubbornly defended Gustav Line and less than 20 miles from Rome in January 1944 certainly took Field Marshal Kesselring by surprise, but he was quick to recover his poise.

Within eight days, “Smiling Albert” — as Kesselring was known to his troops — had moved elements of eight divisions to join the Panzer Grenadier battalion that had been resting at Anzio, to form a tight perimeter round the Allied beachhead. An opportunity for a swift and powerful Allied move on Rome had been missed, and the enemy was ready for a fight. Young was in command of the heavy weapons company of 1st Irish Guards when 24th Guards Brigade was counter-attacked in the 1st Division’s sector in the north of the beachhead.

It was his responsibility to deploy the anti-tank guns and medium machineguns into the right positions and keep them there. From the first German thrust at Carroceto on January 26 to the end of this action ten days later, he was probably exposed to more personal danger than any other man in the battalion. When the German attack was at its height on the morning of January 26 and four of his anti-tank guns had been knocked out, he was in the open under shellfire shifting the remaining guns to close the gap.

In the early hours of the morning of the 30th, with the roads controlled by the enemy and large numbers of them infiltrated behind him into the beachhead, he set off on foot to find a track to get his anti-tank and medium machineguns to positions from where they could bring fire to bear. Crawling the last 500 yards, his reconnaissance party had to kill several enemy snipers before clearing the route. Once the situation was stabilised, Young’s commanding officer recommended him for the immediate award of the Military Cross, but Major-General Ronald Penney, commanding the 1st Division, upgraded the award to an immediate DSO.

Henry Lawrence Savill Young was born at Kingston Court near Canterbury. His father was killed in the First World War, so he was brought up by his mother. He was already 6ft tall on his arrival at Harrow and, after Sandhurst, was commissioned into the Irish Guards in December 1935. He was on active service in Palestine during the Arab Revolt, which began in 1936 in protest against increased Jewish immigration into the League of Nations mandated territory. Early 1940 saw him with 24th Guards Brigade in Norway.

The Anglo-French-Polish intervention, designed to prevent German use of Narvik for shipping iron ore from the Gallivare mines in Sweden, was a demonstration of what is likely to happen when an expeditionary force is launched without adequate air support. Contrary to the views of the British military hierarchy, the Wehrmacht proved capable of occupying Oslo, Trondheim and Narvik quickly and without hindrance. First directed by sea on Narvik, 24th Guards Brigade was diverted southwards to Mo. En route, the Polish motor vessel Chobry, in which 1st Irish Guards were embarked, was bombed and set on fire by the Luftwaffe. Young, who surprisingly could not swim, decided to stay aboard until he could be transferred to a Royal Naval destroyer, concluding his part in the Norwegian campaign for which he was mentioned in dispatches.

He was with the 1st Irish Guards as a company commander throughout the 1st Army’s campaign in French North Africa, culminating in the German and Italian surrender at Tunis. After the breakout from the Anzio beachhead, he returned to England to attend the wartime course at the Staff College, Camberley. In December 1944, he joined 5th Guards Brigade in Holland as brigade major, a post he held until the end of the war in Europe.

He commanded 1st Irish Guards in Egypt in the mid-1950s and the regiment in London, 1959-61. It was in the latter capacity that he took part in the review of Household Brigade troops on Horse Guards Parade in April 1961 by President de Gaulle.

His final appointment was as commander of 107 (Ulster) Brigade of the Territorial Army. He retired in 1962.

He married Noreen Ponsonby in 1939. She survives him with a son and daughter.

Brigadier H. S. L. Young, DSO, veteran of the Anzio landing in 1944, was born on October 10, 1915. He died on February 9, 2004, aged 88.
Click to expand...

dbf · Sep 27, 2019

GSM, Palestine Clasp 1936 - 1939

Personal Number:
Rank: Lieutenant
Name: H L S YOUNG
Unit: 1 Irish Guards
GSM & Clasp: GSM, Palestine Clasp 1936 - 1939
TNA Reference: WO 100/503

dbf · Aug 25, 2019

The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | Image Details
Name Young, Laurence Savil
Rank: Captain
Service No: P/67098
Regiment: 1 Battalion Irish Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Italy
Award: Distinguished Service Order
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 15 June 1944
Date 1944
Catalogue reference WO 373/6

24th Guards Brigade, 1st British Division, 6 American Corps
P/67098 War Substantive Captain, Temporary Major Henry Laurence Savil YOUNG, 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS

As Officer Commanding Support Company Major YOUNG has been unceasingly occupied in the vital task of co-ordinating and siting all supporting arms for the Battalion in the recent actions.

From the first enemy counter attack at CARROCETO on January 26th to the latest engagement on February 4th this Officer has probably been exposed to more personal danger than any other man in the Battalion, but he contented about his duties with an aloof calmness that had an immense steadying and encouraging effect on all who saw him and all those under his command.

On the morning of 26th when the Germans counter-attack was at its height and 4 Anti-Tank guns had been knocked out, he closed the gap in the Anti-Tank defences by choosing new positions for the remaining available guns and getting them into position, being all the time under heavy shell fire.

On the night attack of 29th / 30th he accompanied the rifle companies on foot so as to be able to reconnoitre positions for the Supporting Arms. In the early hours of the morning when the two roads were still controlled by the enemy and there were large numbers of them behind our troops, he set of across country under heavy mortar and small arms fire to find a route to bring up the Anti-Tank guns, Mortars and M.M.G.s. He was forced to crawl some 500 yards under Machine Gun fire and himself eliminated some snipers before he could get back to the Battalion's original positions.

He succeeded in bring up 3" Mortars and Anti-Tank guns to No. 4 Company\s positions turning them into the only firm base we could get. He also organised the American Tank Busters and sent them off with Captain KENNEDY at last light.

This Officer with his great experience and complete trustworthiness has been of the greatest help in the Battalion during the last two campaigns and has the admiration of all ranks for his complete disregard of personal safety and high sense of duty.

I strongly recommend Major YOUNG for the immediate award of the M.C.

Signed C.A. Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS

Granted an Immediate D.S.O.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/irish-guards/38356-brigadier-h-s-l-young-d-s-o.html

harkness · Aug 27, 2019

Guy · Aug 27, 2019

The Bystander 27th September 1939

dbf · Aug 30, 2019

IG
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35020/supplement/7200/data.pdf

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35020/supplement/7201/data.pdf

dbf · Oct 22, 2019

Personal Number: 67098
Rank: Colonel
Name: Henry Lawrence Savill YOUNG
Unit: Irish Guards:

London Gazette : 31 January 1936
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34251/page/671/data.pdf
The undermentioned Gentlemen Cadets, from the Royal Military Academy, to be 2nd Lts. 30th Jan. 1936: —
I. G'ds.—
Henry Lawrence Savill YOUNG.

London Gazette : 27 August 1937
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34430/page/5441/data.pdf
The undermentioned University Candi- dates to be 2nd Lts. 28th Aug. 1937, with seniority as stated against their names: —
I. G'ds.—George Sinclair BRODRICK, 30th Jan. 1936, next above 2nd Lt. H. L. S. Young.

London Gazette : 5 September 1939
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34669/supplement/6063/data.pdf
INFANTRY
6th Bn. Somerset L.I.—
Capt. W. R. Ellis to be Adjt. 14th Aug. 1939, vice Lt. (local Capt.) H. L. S. Young, I. G'ds., vacated.

London Gazette : 20 December 1940
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35020/supplement/7201/data.pdf
The names of the undermentioned have been brought to notice in recognition of distinguished services in connection with operations in Norway.
IRISH GUARDS
YOUNG, Lieut. H. L. S.

London Gazette : 1 February 1944
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36353/supplement/570/data.pdf
I. G'ds.
The undermentioned Lts. to be Capts.:—
30th Jan. 1944 : —
H. L. S. Young (67098).

London Gazette : 15 June 1944
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36563/supplement/2851/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy —
The Distinguished Service Order.
Captain (temporary Major) Henry Lawrence Savill Young (67098), Irish Guards (Canterbury).

London Gazette : 8 October 1954
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40295/supplement/5691/data.pdf
I.G.
Maj. H. L. S. YOUNG, D.S.O. (67098) to be Lt.Col., 18th May 1954.

London Gazette : 8 November 1957
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41220/supplement/6466/data.pdf
l.G.
REGULAR ARMY.
Lt.-Col. H. L. S. YOUNG, D.S.O. (67098), on completion of tenure of employment as Lt.-Col. remains on full pay (Superny.), 18lh May 1957.

London Gazette : 8 November 1960
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/42186/supplement/7543/data.pdf
The undermentioned- Lt.-Cols. to be Cols, on the dates shown:
H. L. S. YOUNG, D.S.O. (67098), from I.G., 7th Jan. 1960.

London Gazette : 11 December 1962
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/42852/supplement/9633/data.pdf
REGULAR ARMY
Col H. L. S. YOUNG, DSO (67098) late Ft Gds retires on retired pay 10th Dec 1962 and is granted the hon rank of Brig.

London Gazette : 6 February 1973
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45899/supplement/1684/data.pdf
Somerset
ARMY CADET FORCE
TERRITORIAL AND ARMY VOLUNTEER RESERVE
Col. (Hon. Brig.) Henry Lawrence Savill YOUNG, D.S.O. (67098) (formerly Ft. Gds.) at his own request reverts to the rank of Lt., 3rd Feb. 1973, with seniority 26th Mar. 1939.

London Gazette : 3 February 1976
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46814/supplement/1676/data.pdf
ARMY CADET FORCE
TERRITORIAL AND ARMY VOLUNTEER RESERVE
Somerset
Lt. H. L. S. YOUNG, D.S.O., D.L. (67098) relinquishes his commn., 3rd Feb. 1976 upon completion of the tenure of his appointment and is restored to the rank of Col. (hon. Brig.).

dbf · Nov 4, 2019

Personal Number: 67098
Rank: Majory
Name: H L S YOUNG, DSO
Unit: 1 Irish Guards
Theatre: Italy
Missing Personnel file: 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS - Italy, Missing Personnel file
TNA Reference: WO 361/784

Log in or Sign up

67098 Henry Lawrence Savill YOUNG, DSO, MiD, 1 Irish Guards

dbf Member

dbf Member

dbf Member

harkness Well-Known Member

Guy Looker-upper

dbf Member

dbf Member

dbf Member

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

67098 Henry Lawrence Savill YOUNG, DSO, MiD, 1 Irish Guards

dbf Member

dbf Member

dbf Member

harkness Well-Known Member

Guy Looker-upper

dbf Member

dbf Member

dbf Member

Share This Page

Useful Searches