Robert John Young was born on the 8th December 1882 at Haddocks Cottages at Westoe South Shields, the second eldest of 4 boys to William Henry Young, born 1859 and Elizabeth [nee Hall] Young, they were married in 1879. The other children were William Henry born 1st February 1879, [was married to Mary Ann Young born,5th July 1882, in 1939 they were residing at 270 South Eldon Street, South Shields, Durham], Thomas David Young born 1st September 1885, [by 1939 he was widowed and residing at 10 Greathead Street, South Shields, Durham, he worked in the Docks as a Labourer, with another Thomas David Young born 21st March 1918], and Lawrence Barclay Young born 26th June 1887, (who married a Lillie [nee Coates] born 21st March 1886, died 1981), in 1926. In 1939 they were residing at 8 West Avenue, South Shields, Durham with one child.

By 1901, the family were residing at 107 South Palmerston Street, South Shields.

Robert John Young was a Carter and coal merchant. He was married on the 17th March 1912 at St Mary's Church at South Shields located in the Market place, to a Martha Elizabeth [nee Spark], born 21st May 1884. They had four children up to 1916. Lawrence Barclay Young, born 30th April 1914, who became a Police Fireman. He was awarded the George Medal. William Henry Young born 27th July 1909, Ernest James Young born 11th July 1911 in America and John George Young born 29th April 1916, there was a daughter Doreen Young born 23rd July 1923, she was a Female Shorthand Typist at a Photographers, also single.

The family resided at 45 Laygate Lane, South Shields.

Robert John Young attested from the Derby Scheme on the 8th December 1915. On the 29th May 1916, he is having a Medical, examination at Durham, 5 feet 8 and a half inches tall, 157 lbs aged 33 years. Called up on the 6th June 1916 at Sunderland. Men who attested under the Derby Scheme, who were accepted for service and chose to defer it were classified as being in 'Class A'. Those who agreed to immediate service were 'Class B'.

On the 13th June 1916, with the service number 99476, Robert is posted to No 4 Royal Artillery Depot at Woolwich in London as a Gunner.

Robert is then posted to the 200th Royal Garrison Artillery Heavy Battery on the 19th July 1916.
The 20th Siege Battery went to France on the 2nd November 1916, leaving Southampton for Le Havre on the 27th October 1916. They were posted to Loos, and joined the 31st Heavy Artillery Group on the 7th November.

Robert did not arrive in France until the 26th February 1917, he embarked at Southampton, and disembarked at Le Havre on the 27th February.

The battery was equipped with four (later six) six-inch howitzers, the commonest weapon used by the siege batteries. it transferred to the 67th Heavy Artillery Group on the 26th January 19117, then to the 60th Heavy Artillery Group on the 18th May 1917.

On the 4th March 1917, Robert with the 200th Siege Battery was transferred into the 1/1st West Riding Heavy Battery. [The battery was brought up to a strength of six guns on the 28th February 1917 when it was joined by a section from 200th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery].

On the 10th July 1917, Robert was admitted to the no 11 General Hospital at Dammes-Camiers with Severe Influenza. He had the Influenza from the 6th July and had been admitted into the 71st Field Ambulance [a 23rd Division Field Ambulance unit one of three], Robert then was invalided Home to the UK on the Hospital Ship 'Villa de Liege' from the 11th Hospital on the 29th July 1917.

A Passenger ferry built at Hoboken with 2 funnels as Ville de Liege for the Belgian Governments' Ostend to Dover service. At the start of WW1 she was used as a hospital ship for the Belgian army at Calais before being taken over by the Admiralty for trooping and hospital duties. In 1936 she was rebuilt as a side-loading car ferry with a single funnel and new masts, renamed London Istanbul she re-entered service in August 1936. In 1941 she was converted by Barclay Curle into a minesweeper and renamed HMS Ambitious, based at Scapa Flow. She survived WW2 and returned to her owners and refurbished as London Istanbul she reopened the mail service in 1946. Replaced by new tonnage she was laid up in 1949, and after a charter to British Rail for Dover-Calais service she was broken up at the end of 1950.

After arriving in the UK, Robert is now admitted to the Canadian Red Cross hospital at Taplow, Buckinghamshire, with a high fever and Influenza. He spends 17 days in hospital recovering. Robert now from the 24th August 1917 is now at Royal Artillery Command Depot, at Ripon.

On the 20th October 1917, Robert is posted into the 4th Heavy Reserve Battery still at Ripon. Then on the 11th December 1918 he is transferred into the 3rd Reserve Battery, part of the 1st Reserve Brigade Heavy Battery. Whilst based here, Robert was given prescriptions for his condition from the Ripon Hospital Dispensary. Also Eventually transferred to a Class Z reserve on the 20th February 1919.

Assessment for his pension started on the 4th April 1919, he was initially awarded a 20% disability assessment which was 5s 6d a week plus 4s extra for for four children. Robert had a Hydrocele (HI-droe-seel) is a type of swelling in the scrotum that occurs when fluid collects in the thin sheath surrounding a testicle. Hydrocele is common in newborns and usually disappears without treatment by age 1. Older boys and adult men can develop a hydrocele due to inflammation or injury within the scrotum.

Robert had this condition when he joined the army, but in a slight form. However, on the 8th June 1917, when on active service he fell from from his horse under shell fire and was injured by the Horses neck. Because the injury was aggravated by the war, not due to service in the war, his pension was provisionally awarded.

In 1917 he had an operation on his Hydrocele, as it was the size of an Orange at Hamperley Down Hospital, before being transferred to the 3rd Reserve Heavy Battery.

In 1939 Robert Young was residing at 9 Birchington Avenue, South Shields, Co Durham and was a Haulage Contractor with his wife and two children Doreen and one other.

Robert Young died on the 29th January 1958.