Lived in Northrepps
Parents - Charles Augustus Roberts and Dorcus Elizabeth Walpole - married 12th September 1916
Born - 19th January 1921 Northrepps
Died - 17th May 1943
Squadron - Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 617 Sqdn.
Rank - Flight Sergeant
Commemorated at - BERGEN GENERAL CEMETERY
Plot 2. Row E. Grave 17.
Netherlands
Sevice Number 1269945
On the night of the 16/17 May 1943, the raid took place. Young flew Avro Lancaster ED877 / AJ-A (code-named "A-Apple"). The other crew were Flight Sergeant Charles Walpole Roberts (Navigator), Flying Officer Vincent Sandford MacCausland (Bomb Aimer), Sergeant David Taylor Horsfall (Flight Engineer), Sergeant Lawrence William Nichols (Wireless Operator), Sergeant Gordon Arthur Yeo (Front Gunner) and Sergeant Wilfred Ibbotson (Rear Gunner). A-Apple flew as part of the first wave which attacked the Möhne Dam. Young was second in command of the raid, which was led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson flying G-George.
The first three aircraft to attack, Gibson (G-George), Hopgood (M-Mother) and Martin (P-Popsie), all missed the target. A-Apple was fourth to attack and hit the dam, causing a small breach. As this breach was not apparent, a fifth aircraft of Maltby (J-Johnny) subsequently attacked the dam and achieved a hit, causing a larger breach.
On the return journey, A-Apple was brought down by anti-aircraft fire, probably by gunners at Castricum-aan-Zee, who reported shooting down an aircraft at 2.58 am.
The bodies of all seven crewmen washed up on the Dutch coast over the subsequent days and were buried in the Bergen General Cemetery, Bergen, North Holland.
