31st Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
Percy Edward Young was one of twelve children born to Isaiah Young, a labourer and his wife Jane Marie and was born at Westbury-on-Severn in early 1898.
He was conscripted into the Army for the duration of the war on 30 January 1917, stating his age to be nineteen years two months, his address Clift View, Flaxley near Newnham on Severn and his occupation farm labourer, with no previous military experience.
Initially he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (number 32920) and transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (MGC) (Infantry) on 5 April 1917.
After training at Clipstone Camp he was posted to France on 19 June 1917, sailing from Folkestone to Boulogne and arrived at the MGC training base at Camiers, on the Channel coast, a day later.
His operational posting was to 93 Company (part of 31 Division) on 7 July 1917 and when the MGC was re-structured in early 1918 it became part of 31st Battalion, MGC on 3 March 1918.
On 9 April 1918 the Germans following up their Michael offensive of 21 March launched a further offensive named Georgette, in Flanders, which became known as The Battles of the Lys.
One of the actions was The Battle of Hazebrouck, fought between 12 to 15 April. On 12 April Percy was wounded in the back and was taken to 87th Field Ambulance, who transferred him to No 13 Casualty Clearing Station at Arneke and on 14 April he arrived at No 32 Stationary Hospital at Wimereux.
He remained there until 23 April when he was repatriated to King George Hospital in Stamford Street, London, Ward M4. Investigation revealed that a bullet had lodged in the sacrum at the base of his spine and on 3 May infection had set in and he became gravely ill and he died from meningitis at 7.30am on 4 May 1918, aged 20.
His admission to the King George Hospital was reported in the Gloucestershire Journal of 4 May 1918..
His remains were taken to Flaxley (St Mary) Church for burial, where a private stone cross now marks his grave.
Research by Graham Adams 24 May 2016 with acknowledgement to Graham Sacker for much of the information)