2nd Lieut F.C. Youden, 15Bn AIF

2nd Lieutenant Frederick Charles YOUDEN
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YOUDEN
2nd Lieutenant Frederick Charles

15th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force (enlisted as Private No. 516, C Company).

Born 1882, in Glasgow, Scotland

Educated: Hillhead High School, Glasgow, and Glasgow University, Scotland.

Married; Musician / Teacher of music, of Bundaberg, Queensland.

Next Of Kin: Wife; Annie Elizabeth Legge-Youden, of Coalport, Shropshire, England.

Photos of Lieutenant Youden are known to exist in the following:
Hillhead High School Roll of Honour


Killed in action
8th August 1915
near Hill 971, northern Anzac sector
Aged 33







15th Battalion, AIF


No Known Grave

Name commemorated on the Lone Pine memorial, Anzac



Notes:

Previously served in 5th Light Horse (CMF).
82nd Casualty List. Reported missing. (Melbourne Herald 25 Sept 1915 p4).

One of five brothers.
'Of the five Youden brothers, of Scotland, two served in the A.I.F., one being killed on the same day that the other was wounded - Lieut. Colonel H.A. Youden, D.S.O. (2nd Bn., A.I.F.), enlisted 25/8/'14 as a private , appointed 2nd lieut. 8/6/'15, wounded 8/8/'15, Lone Pine, promoted lieut. 8/1/'16, captain 10/8/'16, major 7/9/'17, lieut.-colonel 4/10/'18. Lieut. F.C. Youden (15th Bn.), enlisted 9/11/'14 as a private, wounded at Anzac 10/5/'15: appointed 2nd lieut. 7/5/'15, killed in Battle of Sari Bair 8/8/'15. Major Wilfred Alfred Youden, O.B.E. (Highland Light Infantry), C.O. Norfolk Regiment and C.O. Royal Berkshire. Captain Sidney Edwin Youden (Highland Light Infantry and Durham Light Infantry), killed in action at the Hindenburg Line, Sept., 1918. John Youden, A.S.C. (Reveille Vol.4 No.2, 31 Oct 1930 p27).

Enlisted 11th September 1914. Brother was Herbert Alexander Youden of the 2nd Battalion, who finished the war as a Lieutenant Colonel having received the DSO (Distinguished Service Order) and been Mentioned in Despatches on three occasions. H.A. Youden enlisted 17 August 1914 and Returned to Australia 28 March 1919.

'Amongst the names in the casualty list that will be easily recognised (says the Bundaberg 'Mail') in Bundaberg, is that of Lieutenant F.C. Youden. At the outbreak of war Mr. Youden announced his intention of leaving Bundaberg to rejoin the Territorials at home, where he held a commission. He was prominent in musical circles in Bundaberg, being organist at Christ Church and conductor of the Choral Union, and regret was expressed at his projected departure. Before leaving Bundaberg he resolved that he would forgo any preference rights that might attach to his position in the Territorials, and enlisted with the Queensland forces, proceeding from Enoggera with the Second Contingent to Egypt.' (The Colonist 5 Jun 1915 p18).

Wounded in the attack on Turkish trenches in advance of Quinn's Post, about 10:45pm, 9th May. Evacuated, returned from Lemnos, with 31 men, on 26 May. (Sampson, diary entries for 9 May and 26 May 1915 [Name spelt 'Yewdon']).

Accounts of the circumstances surrounding Lieutenant Youden's death vary. One version claims he was shot by a Turkish officer while having his wounded hand bandaged, (Chataway p86, 89), during the attack on Hill 971, 8th August:
'As on other occasions, very few of the wounded left in Turkish hands survived. Some were shot or bayoneted. A German officer, seeing the Turkish soldiers kicking a number of wounded men and preparing to roll them over a cliff on the hillside, stepped in and saved their lives. Two small parties, under Lieutenants Luscombe of the 14th and Youden of the 15th - both of whom were wounded, the latter mortally - held on in the gullies on the far side of the spur, ignorant of any order to withdraw, and were captured.' (Bean V2 p101, 102, 103, 663 quoted).

'Witness says he was with Lieut. Youdon [sic] on Sunday morning the 8/8/15 when they advanced on the left. Youdon was hit by a bullet and sat down while it was being bandaged by one of the men. As soon as he rose he was hit again on the left thigh. Just at that moment witness was wounded himself and came away and did not see Youdon again. The battalion had to retire from the place where Youdon was wounded and witness cannot say what became of him, but he has not seen or heard of him since. Ref. P. Mulvie, Pte 1369. 15 A.I.F. C COY. Moascar Camp Ismailia' (23 Jan 1916. Court of enquiry into disappearance of Lieutenant Youden).

'Witness says he was in the attack on Hill 60 on 8/8/15. During the attack Lieut. Youdon came up from the left and took charge of about 30 of them who were together. Youdon was wounded in the leg and his left hand was shattered. He bound up his hand roughly and after continued firing for ten minutes Youdon saw the Turks break through on the left and called out 'It is no good boys, we shall have to throw down our arms and surrender.' Witness at once got away as quickly as he could. In his opinion most of those who stayed must have been captured. Ref. Anderson, Pte. G. 1154 15 A.I.F. D. Company Moascar Camp, Ismailia.' (23 Jan 1916).

Another version claims that Lieutenant Youden and what were left of his men were executed:
'18, Carlton House Terrace.
18th. Jan. 1916.
Lieut. Youden. 15th A.I.F.
Sir, We have received the following report.
Sergt. Robert Hunter, 451, of the same Regt. C. Coy. now In Hanworth Red X Hosp. Middlesex, (home address Lower Kent Rd. Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.) who is described to us as an intelligent man, states: 'On Aug. 6-8 1915 at Sari Bair, Gallipoli, Lt. Youden was out off with a party of about 26, who were forced to surrender. The German officer ordered them to be stripped, laid face downwards and shot. One man was not killed, was carried in and told the tale, dying 2 hours later. It was a 6 days fight advance by us. I was told by Pte. A. Proctor, who came from Bundaberg, Queensland. He is believed to have rejoined his Regt. after being wounded and sent to Malta & England. Also by Pte. Henderson, address unknown.'
Your obedient Servant.
(Sgd.) F.M. for SIR LOUIS MALLET. R.C. Smart Esq.,
130, Horseferry Rd. Westminster, London. S.W.' (from Lieut. Youden's service record).

Noted on the City of Glasgow Roll of Honour, Hillhead High School Roll of Honour and Glasgow University Roll of Honour. Photo and obituary are taken from the Hillhead Roll of Honour.

Obituary - Fred. C. Youden was one of four brothers who rallied to the colours in the period of stress. He was in Australia when war began, and he was one of the first to answer the call. He joined as a private, but he was quickly promoted through all grades of non-commissioned rank, and finally granted a commission because of his daring and resource. He was a man of fine physique, of an open, frank nature, and greatly beloved by all who knew him. He seemed destined for high rank, but he fell in an action in Gallipoli. His memory is enshrined in the recollection of those who were associated with him in the old school. (Hillhead High School Roll of Honour).


Lest We Forget

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