Memorial Details

THORNLEY	In Memorial Garden

Front panel	

   Thornley 

   remembers 

   (Portrait)

   Second Lieutenant  

   John Scott ‘Jack’ Youll V.C. 

   11th Service Battalion 

   Northumberland Fusiliers.	

   Killed in action Italy. 

   27th October 1918, aged 21.

   ‘A simple true 

   and gallant soldier.

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Rear panel:

   Badge

   Quo fata vocant 

   Jack Youll V.C. 

   1897-1918 

   Born at Thornley 

   6th June 1897 

   Attended 

   Thornley Council School.

   Aged 15 

   an apprentice electrician 

   at Thornley Colliery 

   In 1915 aged 18 

   enlisted in the Royal Engineers (T.F.) 

   In 1916 aged 19

   served as a sapper in France and Flanders.

   In 1917 aged 20

   awarded a temporary commission as

   2nd Lieutenant and posted to the

   11th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers.

   In 1918 aged 21

   fought at Asiago on the Italian Front

   Recieved (sic) the Victoria Cross

   from King George V

   and the Italian Medal of Valour

   from the King of Italy.

   Killed in action

   at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto

   on the 27th October 1918.

   ‘ONE OF THE LADS’.

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Side panel

   On Tuesday the

   10th September 1918

   at the Thornley Hippodrome,

   Jack was publicly honoured

   in recognition of having

   gained the Victoria Cross

   with gifts in the form of

   a gold watch and chain

   and a large silver cigarette case.

   He was received with rousing cheers

   and was characteristically

   modest in his reply.

    “There are two

   kinds of honour, the seen

   and the unseen.  I hope the people

   of Thornley give the rest of the boys

   the same recognition

   on their return”.

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Side panel

    (Four medals)

   For most conspicuous bravery

   and devotion to duty when in

   command of a patrol which came

   under hostile barrage. Sending his men

   back to safety, he remained to observe

   the situation and when the enemy attacked

   he maintained his position with several men

   of different units.  An enemy machine gun

   had opened fire from behind him.  He rushed

   the gun and having himself killed most of

   the team opened fire on the enemy with

   the captured gun inflicting heavy casualties.

   Finding that the enemy had gained a footing

   in a portion of the front line, he organized

   and carried out with a few men three

   separate counter attacks.  On each occasion

   he drove back the enemy.  Throughout the

   fighting his complete disregard of personal

   safety and very gallant leading set

   a magnificent example to all.

TranscriptT54.10