James Wellington Young / 1918
 
James Wellington Young enlisted on January 10, 1918.  In February he left Vancouver by train for Halifax.

His brother-in-law Arthur Gosse was the last family member to see him alive. Uncle Art told of having a good laugh with Jim as they slipped along the icy Vancouver streets on their way to the tram.

Jim and the other recruits boarded the S.S. Metagama in Halifax on February 27 1918, arriving in Glasgow on March 11. Except for a brief visit to Ireland, he remained in England until being sent to France in June 1918.

Jim Young was likely killed by enemy machine gun fire on the morning of September 27, 1918 near the village of Sains-les-Marquion, during the battle of Bourlon Wood. The war ended a few weeks later. He's buried in the British cemetery at the crossroads near the the village.
 
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May 15, 1918  /  England
The photographer's notes, visible on the photograph, read as follows: "Some Canadians from Vancouver, 31 Hut, Seaford 15/5/18 Hilton Brighton". Jim Young is in the back row, second from the right. The following letter was enclosed with the photo:

May 16, 1918

Darling Mother:

This is [a photo of] some of our bunch. Its not a very good one. They can't take photos in this country like they can in Canada. I have marked a cross over my head so you'll know me. Don't send anything Mother to England till I give you my address. I'll let you know when we get to France. I have a lot of pictures I send Tues. so you can expect them. Its been awful hot here today. We had our heavy underwear on with a top shirt and tunic also a heavy pack and our harness along with our guns. I nearly melted away, but I guess we got to expect it pretty warm now. Write as soon as you can and lets have any news.

Good Bye from Your Loving Son, Jim
 
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May, 1918  /  England
This photo of Pte. James Wellington Young was taken in Brighton, England in May 1918, prior to his departure for France.
 
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June 4, 1918  /  England
Pte. James Wellington Young's last will and testament.

This document was completed on June 4, 1918, a day or two before Pte. Young joined the 7th Battalion in France.



 
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Summer, 1918  /  France
Embroidered postcard (front and back).

This embroidered postcard was sent by Jim Young to his mother sometime in 1918. The message reads: "Hope you are all well as I am at present. Yours Jim. Tell Herb (Jim's brother) to write anytime he has time".

These colourful embroidered postcards, known as "silks", were common during the First World War, with many French and Belgian women making a steady income from their embroidery work. In many cases the quality was very high, especially on the earlier silks. A design could take from four to eight hours to complete and might be sold directly to a soldier for as little as a few francs.

Later, to satisfy demand, some of the Paris postcard houses employed women and girls to produce the silks on an "assembly line" basis. The workmanship on these "manufactured" silks was often not to the earlier fine standards.

The Armistice not only brought an end to the war, but also to the production of embroidered postcards.
 
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October 17, 1918  /  Canada
Canadian Pacific Railway telegram (and envelope) informing Jim Young's father, Alfred, that his son had been killed in action. The telegram is dated October 17, 1918, Ottawa Ontario. The telegram reads as follows:

16686 deeply regret inform you 2020825 Pte James Wellington Young
infantry officially reported killed in action Sept 27th.
 
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October 17, 1918  /  Canada
Envelope for the above telegram.


 
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October-November, 1918  /  Canada
A Chilliwack newspaper clipping from October or November 1918, announcing the death of Pte. James Wellington Young.








 
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October-November, 1918  /  Canada
A Vancouver newspaper clipping from October or November 1918, announcing the death of Pte. James Wellington Young.


 
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October, 1918  /  France
A small folding card holding a photograph of the temporary wooden grave marker, and particulars (photographed 1918 or 1919). James Wellington Young was killed in action near the village of Sains-les-Marquion, France during the Battle of Bourlon Wood on September 27, 1918.
 
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October, 1918  /  France
A closer view of the temporary grave marker, enlarged from the photo above. 

This cross marks the grave of James Wellington Young:
Plot 1, Row D, Grave 19, British Cemetery, Sains-les-Marquion, France.
 
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October, 1918  /  France
A further enlargement showing the identification plaque (hammered tin?) on the wooden grave marker.  While the name (Pte. J W Young) and regimental number (2020825) are correct, it's interesting to note that the battalion (4th) and date of death (29-9-18) are not correct. These errors were noted and corrected, as all information on the permanent headstone is accurate.
 
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December 19, 1918  /  Canada
A letter of condolence dated December 19, 1918, to Alfred Young, father of Pte. James Wellington Young, from the "Minister of Militia and Defence for Canada". Many tens of thousands of similar letters were sent to Canadian families during and after the "Great War" of 1914-18.
 
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February 14, 1919  /  Canada
Burial Report.

James Wellington Young was killed in action near the village of Sains-les-Marquion, France during the Battle of Bourlon Wood on September 27, 1918.
 
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February 15, 1919  /  Canada
A letter from the "Director of Records" dated February 15, 1919 which reads as follows:

"I beg to transmit herewith a copy of the report setting forth the circumstances under which the late marginally noted soldier met his death."

The report follows (next item below) ...
 
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February 15, 1919  /  Canada
"Circumstances of Death" Report.

James Wellington Young was killed in action near the village of Sains-les-Marquion, France during the Battle of Bourlon Wood on September 27, 1918.
 
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1919
Victory Medal (front and back)

Authorized in 1919. The Victory Medal was issued together with the British War Medal (see below). The Victory Medal is circular, measuring 1.42 inches, and is made of copper lacquered bronze. The original medal included a ribbon of violet, blue, green, yellow and orange.
 
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1919
British War Medal (front and back).

Authorized on July 26 1919 -- 427,993 British War Medals were issued to all ranks who travelled overseas from Canada between August 5, 1914 and November 11, 1918. The medal is circular, measuring 1.42 inches, and is made of silver. The original medal included a ribbon of orange, blue, black and white.
 
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1919
Next of Kin Memorial Plaque

The year 1916 was a turning point in the public's perception of the war, with the Somme battles resulting in carnage on a scale unimaginable when British and Canadian troops first arrived in France two years earlier. The British Secretary of State for War, David Lloyd George, set up a Government Committee to decide what memorial should be made available to the soldiers' next of kin.

In August 1917 "The Times" newspaper announced that a competition would be held to obtain a suitable design, and 800 entries were eventually received. The winner, Mr. Edward Carter Preston of Liverpool, was chosen on March 20, 1918, and was awarded a prize of 250 pounds (several "runners up" received lesser prizes). The prize-winning designs were exhibited for a time during the spring and early summer of 1918 at the Victoria and Albert Museum, with production of the plaques beginning in December 1919 at a disused London laundry.

The plaques were manufactured using an extremely difficult process, each plaque being cast with the individual's full name. The factory was managed by Manning Pike, an eccentric American engineer and entrepreneur. Due to slow progress Pike's contract was terminated by the War Office, and production was transferred to Woolich Arsenal (and later to other former munitions factories), however some reports indicate that Pike was later recalled to help complete the project. In all, an estimated 1,150,000 plaques were manufactured and distributed along with an associated parchment scroll.
 
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1919
Canadian Memorial Cross

The Canadian Memorial Cross was issued to mothers and widows of soldiers killed in action during the First World War. The cross is silver, with a purple ribbon. It was presented in a small, black leather box with hinged lid. A small card was enclosed: "This cross is presented to you in memory of one who in the Great War died for King and Country - H. Guthrie, Minister of Militia and Defence".
 
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1919
Next Of Kin Memorial Scroll

Printed from hand-cut wood blocks, the design and production was supervised by the London County Council School of Arts. Printing of the scrolls began in January of 1919.
 
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1998  /  France
James Wellington Young, permanent grave marker (photographed 1998).

Plot 1, Row D, Grave 19, British Cemetery, Sains-les-Marquion, France.

Sains-les-Marquion is a village that lies approximately 12 kilometres north-west of Cambrai, and 2 kilometres south of the two-lane highway (D939) that joins Arras and Cambrai.

Sains-les-Marquion was captured by the 1st Canadian Division on September, 27th, 1918, and the cemetery was begun the following day by the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade. It was used until the middle of October, 1918.

The cemetery was enlarged after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the surrounding battlefields and from Marquion Churchyard. There are currently more than 250 graves on this site.