Chapter XIX: Section D: , Army Reserve, in May 1911. He responded to the mobilisation

call on August 5, 1914, and went to France on September 14, going all through the fighting until wounded at the battle of Ypres in November 1914, by a bullet in the thigh. Returning to the Front, he was "gassed," and the resulting injuries to his eyes laid him up for three weeks in hospital. On going back to the trenches the second time he performed his heroic deed on December 22, 1915.

Young's home was at Preston, where he had a wife and nine children, the youngest of whom was born while the father was at the war. In the following letter to his wife Private Young told how the news of his distinction was received by him in a military hospital in England, where he underwent an operation for the complete removal of his lower jaw and the fitting of an artificial one in its place.

"Of course, long enough before you get this letter you will see
by the papers that I have received the greatest honour that any
Britisher can get, namely, the V.C., and, of course, I am
naturally very proud of the great honour, both for my sake and
the sake of you and the kiddies and the good old regiment I have
the honour to belong to, and the old proud town of Preston. I
was shaving when the news came through, and the matron and
sisters, nurses and patients have the hands wrung off me, and I
can see I could do with another pair of hands. There are
telegrams coming every two or three minutes, so I have a busy
time in front of me. I have another soldier from Lancashire
helping me to answer them."

Young's indomitable spirit was finely evidenced in a second letter to his wife--

"I feel all right, seeing what I have gone through; in fact it
was the grace of God, careful nursing, and a grand constitution
that pulled me through.... You know the old saying, 'Fools rush
in where Angels dare not tread,' and if I was in the same place
to-morrow I would do exactly the same thing. I knew that if I
went over the wife and the kiddies would be well looked after. I
am very glad to say that the sergeant I carried out is all
right, and I expect in about a fortnight's time he will be at
home on sick leave with his young wife, as he only got married
just after the war broke out, so you see it's an ill wind that
blows nobody good."

Young was able in April 1916 to visit Preston, where he was given a public welcome. But he had to return to hospital again, and died in August 1916. A local fund was raised, and so generously responded to that it was possible to invest a sum of over L500 for the family.

Captain Henry Kelly of the Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment got the V.C. for deeds which are thus officially described--

"For most conspicuous bravery in attack. He twice rallied his
company under the heaviest fire, and finally led the only three
available men into the enemy trench, and there remained bombing
until two of them had become casualties and enemy reinforcements
had arrived. He then carried his company sergeant-major, who
had been wounded, back to our trenches, a distance of seventy
yards, and subsequently three other soldiers. He set a fine
example of gallantry and endurance."

Captain Kelly was born in Manchester of Irish parentage. His father was from Wicklow and his mother from Limerick. He is twenty-eight years of age, and joined the Manchester "Pals" with his younger brother on September 4, 1914. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant-Major two months later, and in the following May was gazetted Second Lieutenant to the West Riding Regiment. Prior to joining the Army he was employed at the General Post Office in Manchester as a sorting clerk and telegraphist. He was a prominent member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and also of the city branch of the United Irish League. He could speak the Irish language before he ever spent a holiday in Ireland. A detailed account of the circumstances in which Captain Kelly won the V.C. is given by a soldier in his company--

"The enemy had pounded us unmercifully with their big guns, and
the strain put on our men was so great that they began to waver.
Captain Kelly sprang forward and urged his men to the attack
under a blistering hot fire. They responded with cheers, and
under his direction they held a very exposed position for hours.
Later, things looked black once more. So he up again and called
on his lads to hold fast for all they were worth. To show his
contempt for the danger to which we were exposed he led the way
towards another position. He decided to have a cut in at the
enemy's trench. He got hold of a non-com, and two privates
belonging to the bombing section. With these he entered the
enemy trench and started to bomb the Boches out. They got a good
way along, driving before them an enemy more than big enough to
eat up the whole company. Then Fritz was reinforced, and under
the direction of a very brave officer the enemy began to push
our party back. The two privates were knocked out, and Captain
Kelly had to make for home. He picked up the sergeant-major and
carried him out of the German trench. The enemy had many a pot
shot at him, and the shell fire continued as well. It is a
miracle how he escaped. The Boches were close on his heels. The
captain just laid down his burden for a few minutes and threw a
bomb or two at them. They skulked back. Then he picked up his
burden and came marching back to us. All the way he was under
heavy fire. After taking a look round to see how things were
shaping he found that three of our chaps were out in the open,
wounded. Immediately he set off to find them. One by one he
carried them into safety, in spite of the furious fire kept up
by the enemy."

Australia is proud of Private Martin O'Meara, V.C., of the Australian Infantry. So also is Tipperary. He comes of an old Tipperary family, and has well sustained the splendid traditions of the fighting race. The official record of the award of the V.C. is as follows--

"For most conspicuous bravery. During four days of very heavy
fighting he repeatedly went out and brought in wounded officers
and men from 'No Man's Land' under intense artillery and
machine-gun fire. He also volunteered and carried up ammunition
and bombs through a heavy barrage to a portion of the trenches
which was being heavily shelled at the time. He showed
throughout an utter contempt of danger and undoubtedly saved
many lives."

Private O'Meara, V.C., is thirty-two years of age. He is the youngest son of Mr. Thomas O'Meara, Rathcabbin, Birr, and is one of a family of nine children. Before he left Ireland, in 1911, Private O'Meara worked as a tree-feller, and in Australia he continued to labour in the woods, being engaged in making railway sleepers at Collie in West Australia. In the August of 1915 he answered the call to arms, and entered the Blackboy Training Camp as a member of the 12th reinforcements of the Australian Infantry. Before embarking from Australia a friend vouches that O'Meara said: "As I am going I will do the best I can to bring back the Victoria Cross." To achieve the highest award in the British Army was evidently strongly before his mind. He was two months in France before going up to the trenches, where he remained five days in all, covering himself with glory and winning the V.C. in this short period.

Private O'Meara got a fortnight's leave in October 1916--two months after he had won the V.C.--and availed himself of it to visit his native place. The modesty of the man is to be seen in the mode of his home-coming. His family expected him, but did not know the exact date of his arrival. He got off the train at Birr Station and walked home--about five miles--in the darkness, along the disused Birr and Portumna railway line, which passes close to his home. No one recognised him at the station or along the way. He opened the door and walked in, surprising his brother and sister inside. At the end of his leave he returned almost as quietly as he had come. A fund to make him a presentation was raised locally, and a considerable sum was invested in War stock, and a gold watch was bought. Advantage was taken of the presence of General Hickie, commanding an Irish Division, on a short visit from France to his home at Selvoir, North Tipperary, to have him present the gold watch to O'Meara. But O'Meara, like the genuine fighting man that he is, had immediately volunteered for active service on his return to London from home, after recovering from his wounds, and it was found exceedingly difficult to get into touch with him. In fact, but for the interest taken by General Hickie it would have been impossible. Ultimately his exact whereabouts were learned through the War Office, and arrangements were made for his return. Even so, O'Meara could not get home in time for the presentation, and it was made to his brothers and sisters. Physically, he is a fine type of manhood, and in disposition is most lovable.