Captain D R Younger VC

Captain Younger won the Victoria Cross posthumously for his actions during the Boer War. He was an officer of the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders who were fighting near Krugersdorp. On 11th July 1900 he was part of a group of brave men who attempted to save some artillery guns and ammunition under heavy fire. He was the first to gather a party of men who managed to drag an artillery wagon under cover. Then Captain Gordon went out to save a gun and managed to fix a rope to it. He called for help and Captain Younger and others went out to try and drag it in but had to give up after Younger and 3 others were hit by Boer bullets. Captain Younger died later that day.
David Reginald Younger was born on 17th march 1871 and educated at St Ninian's School, Moffat, Dumfries-shire, and at Malvern College. He first joined the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Edinburgh Artillery and then entered the 1st Battalion Gordons as a 2nd Lieutenant on 23rd Dec 1893. He was with the Chitral Relief Force and the Tirah Field Force, taking part in the assaults at the Malakand Pass and Dargai. In South Africa he was with the Kimberley Relief Force, fighting at Magersfontein and was mentioned in despatches. He had also distinguished himself in the operations between 28th Feb and 13th Mar 1900. After his death at Doomboschfontein he was buried in the cemetery at Krugersdorp under a marble cross erected by his brother officers. The photo shows him amongst other officers of the 1st Battalion in India or Ceylon prior to the Tirah expedition in 1897.

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