Dr. William Henry Young FRCS

Born in Kingston, schooled at Malton,

Entered the Army as Hospital Mate/Assistant, unattached, on December 19th, 1811 (2) (3) (4) (5)

On 3th February (3) (4)(5) or June 3rd, 1813 (2), prompted to Assistant Surgeon (4) (5) to the 40th Foot (2) or more likely that 91st Regiment of Foot (Second Battalion) (3) (4) (5)

(He was on active service in the Peninsula from March, 1812, to January, 1813, which included the second siege of Badajos and the Battle of Salamanca (4))

During 1813-1815 he was engaged in the campaigns in Germany and the Netherlands (2 (4)), in the attack on Bergen-op-Zoom (1814) (2) (3) (4)

He went on half pay on October 26th, 1814 (2), and exchanged on full pay, on February 16th, 1815 (2), being present with the 91st Foot (3) at the Battle of Waterloo (18th June 1815) (1) (2) (3) and appointed on 22nd June to 2nd (North British Dragoons, part of the Scots Greys) (3) (5)

For these services he received the Peninsula Medal and Clasp and the Waterloo Medal (2).

Being again placed on half pay on 25 December 1818 (3) or October 25th, 1819 (2), he joined the 9th Royal Veteran Battalion on November 1st on full pay (2)

MD (Erlangen) (3)

After another period of half pay from May 25th, 1821, he exchanged to the 88th Foot on full pay on November 8th, 1821 (2) Succeeded Dr. Tod as acting surgeon of the 83rd regiment at Trincomalee in September 1823 (?)

(Alternatively, Staff Surgeon on 23 May 1822 (3) or 3rd June 1822 (5))

He joined the 8th West India Regiment on March 10th, 1825 (2), exchanged to the 88th Foot (Nov 8th 1821) (2) and then to 8th West India Regiment (Mar 10th 1825) (2), promoted to Surgeon (4) of the Ceylon Rifles 4th September 1828 (3) (5), exchanged to the 23rd Foot on October 11th, 1831 (2), was raised to the Staff on December 19th, 1834 (2), joining the 48th Foot on March 18th or September 30th (3), 1836 (2). Surgeon in 2nd (Queen's Roll) in 1840 Army List (2) (4) (5). Surgeon in 28th Foot 30 July 1844 (3) (5)

He retired on half pay on November 3rd, 1854 (2)(3)(5), living in Wrington in Somerset (2) where he died at the age of 92 in August 1879 (2)(3).

In later years he had served much of his career in India. At the time of his death he was one of eight medical officers receiving (in 1871) a special pension of £100 a year for meritorious service (2); and dying at Wrington, Somersetshire, on August 12th, 1879 (2) (3), he was one of the last of the Medical Staff who had served at Waterloo.

"He was one of the oldest Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons, and almost the last survivor of those who served on the medical staff at the battle of Waterloo."

Refs:

(1) The Battle of Waterloo (Jones, 1852) (page 451) confirms that WHY was an assistant doctor in the 91st Regiment of foot at Waterloo.

(2) Plarr's Lives of the Fellows (RCS's summary of WHY's career)

(3) The Bloody Fields of Waterloo (Crumplin,2015) Page 199. Summarised biography

(4) Army List 1839 (Page 53), 1840 (Page 58) (WHY listed in 2nd (Gueen's Royal) Regiment of Foot, with biographical details)

(5) The Morning Post (London, England), Monday, May 22, 1848; pg. 7; Issue 23231. WHY listed as being with 28th Foot

(6) Letter Signed by WHY I Chichester, 30th June 1857, listing his military career