Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Captain James “The Nailer” Young, 79th Cameron Highlanders

Crimea 1854-56, 2 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Sebastopol (Lieut. Jas. Young 79th Highlanders) contemporary engraved naming; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (Lieut. Jas. Young, 79th Highlanders); Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue (Lieut. Jas. Young 79th Highlanders); France, Legion of Honour, Knight’s breast badge, silver, gold and enamels, all fitted with silver ribbon buckles, and contained in a contemporary hinged fitted case together with another Knight’s badge of the Legion of Honour, this with replacement gilt obverse centre, and four miniature medals, each fitted with a silver ribbon buckle, the Legion of Honour lacking obverse centre, the Legion of Honour badges with considerable damage, fine, otherwise generally very fine (9) £1,000-£1,200

James Young was born at Rutherglen, Scotland, on 22 November 1815. He enlisted into the 79th Highlanders on 27 May 1835, aged 19 years 3 months, a nailer by trade. He was promoted to Corporal on 27 February 1840; Sergeant, 31 December 1844; Colour-Sergeant, 14 August 1845; Sergeant-Major, 12 May 1854, in which rank he fought at the battle of the Alma on 20 September 1854. He was commissioned as Ensign and Adjutant without purchase on 2 October 1854, his promotion said to be due to the fact that while Sergeant in the Crimea, he instructed his men to fire in two lines, the front rank kneeling and the rear rank standing, instead of firing alternately; and as this had never been practised before, it was recognised and appreciated by his superiors. He was popularly known by the sobriquet, the “nailer,” on account of his original trade as entered in his small book on enlistment. As a newly promoted officer, Young was present at the battle of Balaklava, the siege and fall of Sebastopol, the assaults of 18 June and 8 September, 1855, and the expedition to Kertch and Yenikale (Medal with 3 clasps, Knight of the Legion of Honour, and Turkish Medal).

Promoted to Lieutenant on 9 February 1855, he was one of eight officers of the 79th who served throughout the entire war, remaining in the Crimea from the first day to the last. He served as Adjutant in the Indian Mutiny campaign of 1858, including the siege and capture of Lucknow and the Rohilcund campaign (Medal with clasp). After being invalided home in 1860, and obliged to retire from the Regiment, he was promoted to Captain unattached on 11 May 1860. On 9 June following he was appointed as Adjutant of the 1st Stirlingshire Rifle Volunteers, and on 31 July following he was appointed to a Company in the 26th Foot. Captain Young died at Stirling on 14 August 1873, and was buried there with full military honours in the Greyfriars Cemetery, Stirling.

Sold with original Statement of Services (complete but mostly in separate sections due to fragility of paper) and three original commission documents as Ensign in the 79th Foot , Adjutant in Stirlingshire Rifle Volunteers, and as Captain in the 26th Foot.