CHARLES HENRY YOUNG
When Charles Henry was born in 1880 his father William had been living in Portsmouth for less than ten years, having moved from his home town of Redhill in Surrey. A few years after his arrival he married Portsmouth born Eliza Jane Sansbury in 1875. The 1881 census found them at 85 Sussex Street and though William was not then at home it recorded Eliza with their two children William and Charles Henry.
Ten years later the family had moved to 13 Gloucester Street, William was described as a 'fish hawker' and two more children, Eliza and Louisa, had been born. Sometime during the 1890s Charles Henry probably left home as he is not listed in the household for the 1901 census. It seems most likely that by then he had already joined the Royal Navy.
Nothing is currently known of his career afloat apart from his presence aboard HMS Tartar in June 1917 when she was attacked by the German submarine UC65. Although the ship survived she suffered 45 casualties of whom Charles Young was one.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) list Charles Henry Young, Gunner, Royal Navy, HMS Tartar, died 17/06/1917, aged 38. Commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial (Panel 24). Son of William and Eliza Young, of Portsmouth; husband of Louisa Young, of 1, Haslemere Rd., Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea, Portsmouth.
Charles Young is also commemorated on the WW1 Memorial at St. Luke's Church and on the Cenotaph, in Guildhall Square, Portsmouth. He is not listed in "The National Roll of the Great War", Section X.
Tim Backhouse
December 2014