The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (QX19469) Private Robert Young, 2/26th Battalion, AIF, Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on (QX19469) Private Robert Young, 2/26th Battalion, AIF, Second World War.

QX19469 Private Robert Young, 2/26th Battalion, AIF
Died of illness 21 March 1944
Story delivered 11 August 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Robert Young.

Robert Young was born on 6 March 1914 in Brisbane. He never knew his father and was brought up by his mother, Cordelia, in Brisbane, where he attended the local school.

After leaving school, he went to work as a farm hand. By the time the Second World War began, he was working as a dairy farmer at Cooroy and had married Dulcie Andrews. Their son, Kenneth, was born in March 1940.

Young enlisted for service in the AIF in Brisbane on 28 May 1941. He underwent basic training at Redbank before being posted to the 2/26th Battalion at Bathurst, where he was taken on strength in late July.

Barely a week later, the battalion made its way to Melbourne and embarked aboard a transport ship which ferried the men to Singapore.

As the months in Singapore passed, with the threat of a Japanese invasion likely, the 2/26th Battalion made its way into Malaya to train and prepare defensive positions.

The Japanese invasion materialised in early December and in early January 1942, the 2/26th Battalion moved to Johore. Four days later, following an ambush of Japanese troops at Gemas by the 2/30th Battalion, the men of the 2/26 Battalion conducted a fighting withdrawal towards Singapore Island.

The Australians reached the island late in January. When the Japanese invaded Singapore Island on 8 February, the 2/26th Battalion was holding the line in defence of the causeway sector.
The Japanese forced the defenders back and the Singapore Garrison was surrendered. Young was amongst 15,000 Australians who became prisoners of the Japanese.

The 2/26th Battalion was concentrated at Changi Gaol and men soon began to be used by the Japanese as labour.

By April, Young had begun to suffer the effects of a poor diet and he developed dyspepsia. Over the following months, his stomach complaint became worse and it was found he had peptic ulcers.

Young would be affected by his stomach ulcers for the next two years. In March 1944, he was hospitalised with chronic kidney inflammation. Sadly his illness was unable to be treated and he died on 21 March. Young was laid to rest in the Kranji War Cemetery. He was 30 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among almost 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Robert Young, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section