Thank you to Lenka Cathersides for the following research.
Henry Harman Young was born on 2nd September 1893 in Dorking, Surrey and was baptised on 3rd October 1893 in North Holmwood, Surrey.
He was the son of called Major Henry Harman Young and Bessie Pulford.
His father, Henry Harman Young was born in the first quarter of 1855 in Dorking and was baptised on 18th of May 1855 in Dorking. Henry Snr’s parents and Henry Jnr’s paternal grandparents were John Young, Esq of Stapleton and Caroline Young. His mother, Bessie Pulford was born on 14th May 1851 in Kensington, London, and baptised on 16th May 1851 at Holy Trinity Brompton in Kensington & Chelsea. Bessie’s parents and Henry’s maternal grandparents were Henry Doughton, a gentleman and Elizabeth. At the time of Bessie’s baptism her father Henry was working as a tailor. Henry and Bessie married on 18th January 1883 at St Barnabas, Addison Road in Kensington & Chelsea. Henry Snr is stated to be a brewer, who at the time of the marriage lived at Stapleton in Dorking. Bessie lived at 11 Holland Villas Road in Kensington.
An article from the 1883 Sussex Agricultural Express described the wedding. Bessie was wearing an ivory satin wedding dress trimmed in lace and orange blossoms. Her hair was covered with a wreath of orange blossoms and a lace veil. She was also said to be wearing brilliant pearl and diamond ornaments. Nine bridesmaids were wearing hats with ostrich feathers. Amongst wedding presents stood out an elegant, polished oak stationary cabinet with an inscription on silver plate from the brewery.
At the time of the 1891 Census, the family lived at Balgowan, Harrow Road West in Dorking. Henry Snr was a Captain of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, The Queen’s and a brewer. He and Bessie were bringing up four children: Bessie, John, Kenneth and Barbara. All the children were born in Dorking. The family was being served by a nurse, under nurse, parlourmaid, cook and housemaid.
During the 1901 Census, the family still lived at Balgowan in Dorking. Henry Snr was now a retired brewer, wine and spirit merchant. Bessie was at home together with her children Bessie, John, Kenneth, Barbara and the now eight year old Henry Harman Jnr. The family also employed a nurse, parlourmaid, cook and housemaid.
At the time of the 1911 Census, Henry, Bessie and their children Joh;, a chartered accountant, Kenneth; a solicitor and Barbara lived at Balgowan,. They employed a nurse, cook, parlourmaid and housemaid. The house had 14 rooms.
The seventeen year old Henry Jnr was at the time of the 1911 Census a boarder at Charterhouse School, Godalming.
Henry attended Charterhouse School from 1908 to 1912. Later he became a land surveyor.
SURREY AND THE WAR
A COMMISSION
Mr. Henry Harman Young, youngest son of Major H. Harman Young of Balgowan, Dorking, has been given a commission as second-lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. Lieut. Young went out to France in the Artists; shortly before Christmas he was promoted to sergeant and Dorking people will now be glad to hear that his abilities and services have been still further recognised.
Henry Harman Young Commission Notice. Dorking Advertiser © findmypast.co.uk
At the outbreak of World War I Henry became a private of the 28th (County of London) Battalion (Artist Rifles). His regimental number was 1651. Henry disembarked on 26th October 1914 in France. Shortly before Christmas he was promoted to a Sergeant. On 9th May 1915 he was given commission as the 2nd Lieutenant of the 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers. Then he spent four days on leave with his family in England and returned to the front on 14th May.
LIEUT. HARMAN YOUNG WOUNDED
We regret to state that Lieut. Henry Harman Young, the youngest of the two soldier sons of Major H. Harman Young, of “Balgowan” Dorking, has been wounded in the recent heavy fighting which has taken place in Flanders, Lieut. Young went out to France in October last as a private in the Artists and shortly
before Christmas he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. It was not long before his abilities and services were further recognised, and he received his commission forthwith on the battlefield, being transferred to the 3rd Batt. of the Royal Fusiliers on May 9th of this year. After having spent a few days in England, he returned to the Front on May 14th, and the War Office states that Lieut. Young was wounded on May 25th. It is hoped by his many friends in Dorking that the wound is not of a serious nature. Lieut. Young is only 21 years of age. Major Young’s eldest son, Lieut. J. H. Young, belongs to the 5th Queen’s R. W. S. Regiment.
Henry Harman Young Wounded Notice Dorking Advertiser © findmypast.co.uk
By beginning of June 1915, the Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser reported that Henry was wounded in Flanders.
According to the 1915 Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser, Henry’s father, Major Henry received on the 21st of December 1915 news that his son Henry had been taken prisoner of war in Germany after being wounded during the 2nd Battle of Ypres on the 24th of May 1915. This was the first time since an official notification ‘wounded and missing’ was published by the War Office that the family heard any news of Henry; although Major Young had been desperately seeking any information about his son. He had also been asking wounded soldiers from his son’s regiment about Henry’s whereabouts, on their return home. Nobody had heard anything. It was only the intervention of His Majesty King of Spain, addressed by the Major in August 1915, that brought news to the family. According to the Spanish Ambassador to Berlin, Henry Harman Young was a prisoner of war in a camp in Giessen in Hessen.
GLAD TIDINGS
NEWS OF SECOND LIEUT. H. HARMAN YOUNG
Major Harman Young, of Balgowan, Dorking, received on Tuesday morning the gratifying news that his youngest son, Second Lieut. Harry Harman Young, 3rd Batt. Royal Fusiliers, is alive and a prisoner of war in Germany.
Though belated, the news has put an end to the painful suspense and anxiety. The young officer – he is only 22 – was wounded in the second of Ypres as far back as May 24th last, since since the official notification “wounded and missing,” was published nothing has been heard of him. Every source was tried; wounded soldiers in his son’s regiment were interviewed by Major Young on their return home, but they could give no substantial information, and inquiries in all other directions failed to elicit any tidings of the missing officer’s whereabouts. Up to the last, however, the family had not lost hope that some good tidings might yet be heard, and their confidence has this week been justified by
the receipt of the following communication from the secretary to his Majesty the King of Spain, dated from the Palace of Madrid, Dec. 15th: “I am ordered by his Majesty the King, my august sovereign, to inform you that, in accordance with the news received from the Spanish Ambassador in Berlin, through the American Ambassador, your son, Mr. Harry Harman Young, is a prisoner at the camp of concentration established in Giessen.”
The letter which contains this gratifying information is in reply to one which Major Harman Young addressed to his Majesty the King of Spain as far back as August last. By his kind overtures in tracing missing officers and men his Majesty has been successful in relieving the anxiety of many friends and relations in this and allied countries.
The fact that Lieut. Young is in a concentration camp and not in a hospital leads to the hope that he has made a good recovery from his wound (the nature of which is entirely unknown), and the family’s next anxiety is naturally to get in touch with him. Whether this is possible remains to be seen; it is perhaps, not altogether surprising that he has not been able to communicate with them, knowing how rigid are the Germans regulations, especially where captured officers are concerned.
Lieut. Young enlisted in the Artists’ Rifles a few days after the war broke out, and went over to France on Oct. 27th. Shortly before Christmas he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, and on May 9th his abilities and services were further recognised by his being granted a commission in the 3rd Batt. of the Royal Fusiliers. After being home on four days’ leave he returned to France on May 14th, and ten days later he was wounded and, as events prove, made a prisoner. Major Harman Young’s eldest son, Mr. John Harman Young holds a captaincy in the Queen’s Royal West Surreys.
In the anxious time they have passed through Major Harman Young and his family have received the utmost sympathy, for which they now return their heartfelt thanks.
Henry Harman Young POW Notice Dorking Advertiser © findmypast.co.uk
In reality, Henry was killed in action on 24th May 1915 during the second Battle of Ypres.
In 1921, Major Young received a letter from a German woman, Eugenie Hahn of 4 Ptarrstrasse, Stuttgart. In the letter, she tells that her son Gottlieb Hahn had found a seriously wounded Henry on the battlefield. He gave the dying Henry water, and wrote to his mother to contact Henry’s parents, that their son had been taken care of. Gottlieb Hahn was also later killed.
In 1923, Major Harman received another letter from Mrs. Hahn, Eugenie pleaded with Major Harman “You English people are kind and will help when you can”. She then described awful condition in Germany. A pair of boots cost nearly one million marks. She asked for a pair of boots and some clothes: “A pair of boots cost nearly one Million, I need a pair very badly, perhaps you would be so kind and send me one and some left of clothes”. Eugenie also mentioned living with her son in England; prior the war, that he is dead; and asked whether Major’s friends could send her some needful things.
Henry left his farmer brother Kenneth £808, 12s and 10d in Soldiers Effects.
By December 1915, Henry’s brother John Harman Young became a Captain of the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment.
Henry Harman Young is commemorated at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing on panels 6 and 8 and on a panel wall at Memorial Chapel in Charterhouse School. He is also written in the school’s Roll of Honour.
He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals and the 1914 Star.
There is a Memorial plaque dedicated to Henry Harman Young that hangs in St. Martin’s Church Dorking.
| Born | Dorking | |
| Lived | Dorking | |
| Son of | Major Henry Harman Young and Bessie Young, of “Balgowan,” Dorking, Surrey | |
| Regiment | 3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers | |
| Former Regiment | 1651 Private 28th Battalion London Regiment (Artist’s Rifles) | |
| Date of Death | 24th May 1915 | |
| Place of Death | Ypres, Belgium | |
| Cause of Death | Killed in Action | |
| Age | 21 | |
| Memorial | Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium |
