Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Sarah Young, born 1841 in Leicester, and who died aged 31 in the 2nd quarter of 1874 in the Market Bosworth, Leicestershire district, and who was the daughter of William and Jane Young of Leicester. Thomas Holt, a widower, born 1826 in Shackerstone, Leicestershire, and was the father of James Young, born in the 4th quarter of 1872 in Ibstock, Leicestershire, his brother, Charles Young, born 1866 and sister Jane Young, born 1871, both his siblings were born in Ibstock, in April 1871 the family home was at Bufton, Ibstock. In April 1881 James was a schoolboy and was residing in Shackerstone, Leicestershire together with his sister Jane, a schoolgirl, this being the family home of his widowed paternal grandmother, Ann Holt, born 1806 in Norton, Leicestershire and her daughter, Catherine Holt, born 1839 in Shackerstone and her widower son, Thomas Holt, a collier. In April 1891 James was employed as a farm servant and was residing as a servant at the Manor House, The Green, Swepstone, Leicestershire. In April 1911 James was employed as a coal miner charge man and was residing in the family home at 16, North Street, Hugglescote, Leicestershire together with his wife Agnes Young (nee Bowley, married in the 2nd quarter of 1903 in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district), born 1869 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, and their son James Harold, born 1904 in Loughborough.
On Saturday March 27th 1915 The Leicester Chronicle and Leicestershire Mercury published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LEICESTERS IN THE CASUALTY LISTS. Mrs. Young, 16, North Street, Hugglescote, yesterday morning received information from a hospital in France of the death of her husband, Private James Young, 2nd Battalion Notts. and Derby Regiment. He had been very severely wounded in the arm, and suffered from shock and haemorrhage. Sincere sympathy is expressed for Mrs. Young and her eleven year old son. Private Young was an Ashby and Coalville National Reservist, and enlisted in August. He was employed for several years by the Coalville Urban Council.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday March 26th, 1915

HUGGLESCOTE SOLDIER’S DEATH FROM WOUNDS

EMPLOYEE OF COALVILLE URBAN COUNCIL

Another name to swell the local roll of honour is that of Pte. James Young, of the 2nd Battalion Notts and Derby Regiment, whose home was at 16, North Street, Hugglescote. Young went through the South African War and was called up as a reservist in August last. News of his death was received by his wife on Tuesday morning, from the sister in charge of the hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. He was an employee of the Coalville Urban District Council, 48 years of age, and leaves a wife and one boy aged 11 years. On Monday night, Mrs Young received the following letter:

March 18th. Dear Mrs Young, I am very sorry to tell you that your husband has been wounded in the arm today. Although, of course, he is suffering from the shock, and slight loss of blood, I think you may take it that the wound is not very dangerous. Naturally he will be off duty and back at the base for some time, in fact he may possibly get back to England for a while. I assure you that everything that can be done to ease and comfort him will be carried out by his comrades. Yours sincerely.

This letter was followed by another on Tuesday morning as follows:

March 20th, 1915. Dear Mrs Young, I am sorry to have to inform you of the death of your husband, 6295, Private Young, Notts and Derbyshire Regiment. Your husband was brought in here very severely wounded; in fact, he only lived for a few hours after his admission. Everything possible was done for him by the surgeons and nurses, but we had no hope for his recovery. The chaplain attended your husband and he will be buried in the churchyard here. I cannot tell you the name of the place, as it is strictly against army regulations to do so. You must feel relieved to know that your husband had every care and attention before he died. He asked me to write to you, but beyond that he left no message. With our sincere sympathy, yours truly.

Coalville Times article – Friday April 2nd, 1920

WAR MEMORIAL AT HUGGLESCOTE CHURCH

UNVEILED BY COL. R. E. MARTIN

A tablet which has been placed in Hugglescote Parish Church, to the memory of men from the parish who fell in the war, was unveiled by Lt.-Colonel R. E. Martin, C.M.G., on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a large congregation.

The tablet is of excellent design, in keeping with the handsome edifice, and is of a permanent character, the names of 101 men being inscribed on Swithland slate, set in a frame of Ketton stone, surmounted by a cross and crown encircled in a carved laurel wreath, with similar carvings on either side. The inscription runs as follows:

“Their name liveth for evermore.”

“To the Glory of God, and in imperishable memory of the men of the parish who fell in the great war, 1914 – 1918.”

The names of the men inscribed on the tablet are as follows:-

H. A. Attwood, C. T. Beadman, J. Brooks, W. Baker, J. E. Briggs, H. G. Blackham, J. T. Bishop, J. Barrs, G. Barrs, R. Beadman, E. Bonser, G. Beale, J. G. Bennett, E. S. Boot, W. Berrisford, F. J. Betteridge, F. P. Benistone, J. W. Cawley, F. Chamberlain, J. A. Crookes, R. A. Cross, L. Cross, J. Cox, P. Cliff, J. W. F. Collier, C. Drewett, H. B. Drewett, S. Dodds, A. Elkin, H. C. Elkin, J. Farn, H. Fletcher, H. Finch, L. Finch, G. Firban, G. Gadsby, A. Gamble, S. F. Gamble, W. Gray, W. O. Hoden, O. Hallam, B. Hatter, J. Haywood, W. Hill, F. Hill, J. E. Hibbert, G. Hart, G. H. Highfield, E. Harper, J. W. Harper, H. Hall, J. E. Holmes, J. Jones, W. Jones, F. J. Kirby, I. V. Kelham, H. Lewis, W. Lewis, W. Massey, H. O. Moseley, T. Marriott, G. Martin, J. A. Moult, J. Maunders, J. Moon, I. Mycroft, W. Newbold, O. H. Pratt, J. A. Pegg, F. Pink, E. H. Palmer, W. Riley, A. T. Richardson, W. Rogers, C. Simmons, E. A. Stinchcombe, J. Summers, S. Summers, C. Shilton, G. Slatter, J. Smith, J. C. Shaw, S. Smith, G. Spencer, S. C. Smith, J. W. Setchell, W. Statham, A. G. Tovell, S. T. Timson, J. Tebbatt, F. Whitmore, E. Willett, B. Walker, H. Watson, C. H. Walker, J. Woods, T. Willett, A. Wright, A. Wood, J. Young and W. Young.

As the congregation passed into the church, members of the Hugglescote Church Lads’ Brigade, with the ex-Sergt.-Major W. Hill in charge, lined up on either side of the entrance and two of the Brigade with bowed heads and leaning on reversed rifles, stood by the memorial, covered with the Union Jack.

The service, which was very impressive, was conducted by the Rev. Canon Broughton (vicar) and opened with the hymn, “Stand up for Jesus.” Then followed prayers and collects. Psalm 130, and a lesson read by the Rev. J. C. Wallace, after which the clergy and choir proceeded to the memorial, led by the churchwardens, Messrs. W. E. Canner and J. W. Fletcher.

In unveiling the tablet, Colonel Martin said “To the glory of God and in imperishable memory of the men of this parish who fell in the great war 1914 – 1918, I unveil this tablet, which has been erected by their fellow parishioners in grateful recognition of their self-sacrifice.”

The “Last Post” having been sounded by buglers of the Church Lads’ Brigade, the choir and clergy returned to their places and Colonel Martin gave an address from the chancel steps.

He spoke of the memorable days in August 1914, when the principles on which our national life is based were being assailed, and it was the part of every true man to stand in defence of them. They had tangible proof that the spirit which was then evoked in the nation was the same spirit as that shown by their forefathers who went out to fight country’s enemies. He would never forget the day about the end of August, 1914, when the North Midland Territorial Division, which had been mobilised about three weeks, was told to fill up its ranks for service abroad. It fell to him, among others, to come back into Leicestershire to try and explain to the people what they were up against, and he remembered what a splendid response they gave. In the North Midland Division, between 80 and 90 per cent of the men said they were prepared to go anywhere, though many of them were married men who had never experienced Army service before. Many things have happened since – much self-seeking, a desire to get rich quickly, many apparent inequalities of justice and self-sacrifice – but he was sure they could all take comfort from the fact that there was tangible proof given in those days that the nation was sound at heart and could be trusted to do the right thing when the crisis really arose. And what happened when the armies got overseas and began their real work? He ventured to say that no one had the privilege of serving in a better battalion. The men from that district – Coalville men they always called them – were a splendid lot of men filled with genuine enthusiasm for fitting themselves for the part which they had to play, and who on getting across the water, proved themselves as good as the best. He went on to speak of evidences of practical Christianity displayed by the men, and of deeds of heroism which came to his notice. One instance he recalled was when they were between Hill 60 and Ypres. When the Brigadier realised that he had in the ranks men accustomed to mining, he formed a number of Coalville men into a mining section, whose duty it was to construct projecting galleries in front of the trenches, to find out if the Germans were under-mining. One day a member of the party came across a German mine filled with German explosives in large quantities, and it would have been a very natural thing for him to want to get away from it as soon as possible, but instead of that, he crawled over the top and disconnected the mine and came back and reported it to his commanding officer. This man, whose name was Starbuck, had no thought for his own safety, but first took steps to safeguard his comrades.

Proceeding, Col. Martin said his services came to an end in October, 1915, but he had always felt ever since then that the war had been worth while, if for nothing else than for the fine spirit it brought out, and if the same spirit could be shown in regard to present day problems, it would go a long way towards reaching a solution. He was not one of those who said this country ought to have stood aside and have taken advantage of the trade while other countries were fighting. The people, who said that, he thought, were wrong. He thought that what the people of this country did when they found what they were up against should be an example and pattern to them now. If the war had done nothing else, with all the misery, self-sacrifice and sorrow, he believed they were worth while because they afforded the opportunity which was taken by so many of showing a truly Christian spirit. He believed that experience had not been lost, but would help them to get through present day difficulties with credit to themselves.

The closing hymn was 11, “For all the saints,” and a collection was taken for St. Dunstan’s Hostel for Blind Soldiers and Sailors. As the congregation were leaving the church, Mr F. Baxter (organist) played, “O, rest in the Lord.” Before and after the service, peals were rung with the bells half-muffled.

Research undertaken and submitted (including photograph from the Coalville Times) by Andy Murby 2017.