Introduction
Gordon served with the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 235 Squadron. He was the son of James and Elvina Young of Burton upon Stather.
Gordon died on the 3rd of September 1943, aged 24.
© IWM (CH 2739)
Gordon's story is still a work in progress and any further information would be gratefully received please Email FTAO Karen.
The original memorial bench that stood at the corner of Darby Rd and Vicarage Garden's was badly vandalised and Burton Parish Council have recently agreed to re-site Gordon's name plaque on a bench along Normanby Rd.
Gordon was lost his life in a plane crash whilst on a training exercise over Treleigh in Cornwall.
Crash over Treleigh, Cornwall
On 3rd September, 1943 at approx. 1535 hours a Beaufighter, serial no: UK813, from Squadron 235 based at RAF Portreath, crashed at Treleigh, nr. Redruth. The plane was on a routine affiliation exercise - training in air combat techniques - with a Spitfire when it stalled at 1000ft and went into a steep turn and crashed and caught fire.
The crew consisted of:-
The Pilot. Sgt. Harold Picking, 1430576 RAF (VR) aged 31. He is buried at Stoke on Trent (Hanley) Cemetery, Staffordshire.The Navigator -F/O Gordon Havelock Young, 132011 RAF (VR) aged 24, is buried at Burton upon Stather (St. Andrew) Churchyard, Lincs.
WW2 Peoples War, an archive written by the public and gathered by the BBC by CSV story gatherer, Ann Toomey, on behalf of the author, Lawrence Perry.
Laid to rest in his home village of Burton upon Stather Gordon's parents, James and Elvina chose to have a private, civilian headstone for their son. It does however include the RAF insignia.
Gordon Young is named as one of the 52 employees from the Scunthorpe works who gave their lives during the 1939 - 1945 war. The memorial plaque erected by J Lysaghts Ltd can be found at what is now Foxhills Club or Institute, Ferry Rd., Scunthorpe, it was originally Lysaghts Steelworks Social Club. The Lysaghts Works Plaque now resides on a wall at Scunthorpe Museum. You will also find on this memorial Richard J R Mann and from the First World War, Cyril S Allen and Hugh G De Lisle Bush.
