217766 Pte. R. Young British Army 11th Btn. Worcestershire Regiment (d.18th Sep 1918) Private R Young served with the 11th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment during WW1. He was executed for desertion on the 18th September 1918 and is buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery in Greece.
Private Young was already serving under a two year suspended sentence for absence and striking a superior officer, when he went missing again. This offence had been committed just two months before the end of hostilities, when Private Young found himself in action for the first time. During heavy shelling in which the dugout had been blown in, Young made his way to the rear. Although at his court martial he was convicted of desertion, had evidence been available at the time a charge of cowardice might have been preferred. At his trial little or no regard was paid to statements made by him in defence of his actions and he was executed by firing squad on the 18th September 1918. He was 21 years of age.
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