Qualified as surveyor and then as a lawyer. Public spirited and worked with the Claremont Central Mission (we think this was a nationwide religious charitable organisation working with young people). Yachting was his hobby so on the outbreak of WW1 he joined the navy. Fell at Zeebrugge on St. George's Day. More information at the picture source website and on the Bledlow Parish Church website.
Our colleague, Andrew Behan, states that James Dawbarn Young was born on 2 August 1877, the second of the ten children of Andrew Young (1848-1922) and Henrietta Mary Young née Spurrier (1848-1929). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1877 in the Lambeth registration district, Surrey (now Greater London).
His nine siblings were: Charles Melville Young (1875-1951); Andrew Reginald Young (1879-1948); Daisy Muriel Young (1880-1961); John Rodgers Young (1881-1882); David Wilberforce Young (1882-1960); Louis Theodore Young ((1884-1968); Stanley Gordon Young (1887-1960); Gladys Eunice Young (1888-1968) and Dorothy Joyce Young (1891-1980).
In the 1881 census he is shown as aged 3 years and a scholar, living at Norfolk Villas, Church Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, with his parents, his three siblings: Charles, also a scholar; Andrew and Daisy, together with a housemaid and a female general servant. His father was described as a surveyor.
When the 1891 census was conducted his parents were shown as visitors at the home of John Murray, a physician and surgeon, at 13 Trinity Gardens, Folkestone, Kent, whilst he was described as aged 13 years and a scholar at a property in Grosvenor Road, St Albans, Hertfordshire, together with his seven surviving siblings: Charles; Andrew; Daisy; David; Louis; Stanley and Gladys. All apart from Gladys were described as scholars. He was a pupil at St Albans Grammar School.
He was shown as aged 23 years and a surveyor and valuer in the 1901 census, living at 16 North Hill, Highgate, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his parents, six of his siblings: Daisy, a student; David, a student; Louis, a scholar; Stanley, a scholar; Gladys, a scholar and Dorothy, also a scholar, together with a housemaid and a kitchen maid. His father was also described as a surveyor and valuer.
Electoral registers in 1904 show that whilst he was residing at Woodlands, North Hill, Highgate, he also occupied premises at 6 Quality Court, Holborn, London. The 1908 electoral registers show that his office had moved to 29 and 30 Charing Cross, London.
Having joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a Sub-Lieutenant in 1914 he was transferred as a Lieutenant into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 27 August 1915.He took part in the bombardment of Zeebrugge, Belgium in May and June 1917 and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander on 11 July 1917. He died from wounds, aged 40 years, on 23 April 1918 whilst in command of motor launch ML110 on yet a further raid on the port of Zeebrugge and was buried on 27 April 1918 in the churchyard of St Mary's & St Nicholas Church, Church Lane, Saunderton, Princes Risborough, HP27 9GN.
Probate records confirm his address to have been Woodlands, North Hill, Highgate, and that when administration of his estate was granted to his father on 19 July 1918 his effects totalled £1,262-6s-0d.
He is shown as 'J.D. YOUNG' on the Highgate Camp memorial and as 'LIEUT-COMMANDER J. DAWBARN YOUNG, R.N.V.R.' on his personal memorial, both sited inside the gated porch of 107 Swains Lane, London, N6. Andrew Whitehead's Blog shows that both these memorial were replaced about 2014. He is also shown as 'JAMES DAWBARN YOUNG' on the Highgate United Reform Church war memorial located in their forecourt at Pond Square, London, N6 and as 'YOUNG, James Dawbarn' on the Gray's Inn Memorial at The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, 8 South Square, London, WC1R 5ET.
He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website on the A Street Near You website.
