High Spen at War

"High Spen should be known as the Village of Heroes, for the men of this small colliery village, in the Great War, won two Victoria Crosses, one Military Cross, five Military Medals and two Mentions in Despatches. This is a record that no other village could equal and we should be justly proud of these fine men. The two Victoria Crosses were won by Pte. Tommy Young and L/Cpl. Frederick William Dobson. Mr. Tommy Young, of East Street, was a well-known figure in the village. He was a soldier in the Durham Light Infantry and received his award for rescuing several wounded soldiers under heavy shell fire. Being a happy-go-lucky fellow, he quite happily pawned his medals to buy ale for himself and his friends. The Regiment redeemed it and proudly displays it in the Museum at Durham. The award did nothing to change the personality of Tommy Young and he returned quite happily to High Spen Pit after the War, where he had many, many friends. This was not so with L/Cpl. Billy Dobson. He worked at Garesfield Colliery as a horsekeeper and lodged for a while with Mr. Tommy Brougham at Hookergate then lived above Cumberledge's shop in Front Street. He had been a regular soldier in the Coldstream Guards and having completed his service came to work at Garesfield Colliery. When the War began in 1914 he was called up, and was drafted straight to France. In 1914 he won the V.C. for rescuing two soldiers under fire and with complete disregard for his own safety. At the Battle of Ypres he was Mentioned in Despatches and was badly wounded, and these wounds were to give him trouble all his life." (Alex Johnson, High Spen - a Hundred Years)