Thomas Young, along with Seaman William Hall, were awarded the Victoria Cross for action by Captain William Peel's Naval Brigade in breaching the wall of the Shah Nujeff Mosque during the Relief of Lucknow despite being under intense and concentrated fire from the mutineers.

Thomas Young died on the 20th March 1869 in Caen, France, and was buried in the town's Protestant Cemetery. Although the grave was intact and marked with a cross as recently as fifteen years ago, the grave had fallen into such a state of disrepair, owing to vandalism, that it was deemed beyond restoration. However, permission was given by the local French authorities for a stone marker to be placed over Thomas Young's grave.

An impressive granite memorial stone, paid for by generous donations from members of the Victoria Cross Society, was prepared and at a short ceremony held on the 9th and 10th March 2010 was placed over Thomas Young's grave in Caen's Protestant Cemetery.

Following the bombing of Caen on the 7th July 1944, during the D-Day landings, the town's archive material was destroyed which would have disclosed the cause of Young's death and why he was in Caen having just arrived from England. Unless family papers are discovered, this will remain a mystery.

Young's grave: before and after enlarge new

For the award of the Victoria Cross.

[ London Gazette, 1 February 1859 ], Shah Nujeff Mosque, Lucknow, Indian Mutiny, 16 November 1857, Lieutenant Thomas James Young, Royal Navy ( Naval Brigade ).

Lieutenant ( now Commander ) Young, late Gunnery Officer of Her Majesty’s Ship "Shannon" and William Hall "Captain of the Foretop" of that Vessel, were recommended by the late Captain Peel for the Victoria Cross, for their gallant conduct at a 24-Pounder Gun, brought up to the angle of the Shah Nujeff, at Lucknow, on the 16th of November 1857

The Naval Brigade accompanied Sir Colin Campbell’s relieving force on his march to Lucknow. During the assault on the Shah Nujeff Mosque, Young was in command of the gun crews who brought their guns up so close to the Mosque walls that their muzzles almost touched the brickwork. He moved from one gun to another giving encouragement, and when he saw that Seaman Hall was the sole survivor of his crew, he stood beside him helping him to load and fire the gun. After this pounding, the Mosque was taken within minutes.

Thomas Young was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace on the 8th June 1859.

Medal entitlement of Captain Thomas James Young - Royal Navy ( Naval Brigade )

• Victoria Cross
• Crimea Medal ( 1854-56 )
  • 2 clasps:
  • "Azoff" - "Sebastopol"
• Indian Mutiny Medal ( 1857-58 )
  • 2 clasps:
  • "Relief of Lucknow" - "Lucknow"
• Order of the Medjidheih ( 5th Class ) ( Turkey )
• Turkish Crimea Medal ( 1855-56 )