The Early Years; 1908-1939
Richard Henry Young was born in 1908 in New Westminster, B.C. His parents were Richard Augustus Young, a farmer and butcher from England and Margaret Mae Nixon, the child of an English Carriage maker. By 1911, at the age of three, the family lived in a sod hut on a new land claim at Fort McLeod, Alberta, with his parents and his two-year-old brother Syd. While in Alberta, a girl was born in 1912, Eileen May Young. Two years later, that plan did not work out, and they moved back to New Westminster, living at 400 McEwan Ave., Queensborough, New Westminster, B.C.
In 1913 Doreen was born, and in 1916 Kathleen Mabel Young was born. In 1916 Eileen tragically drowned in the waters near the airport.
Harry’s parents separated in 1917, and Harry and Syd stayed with a family in New Westminister to attend school. Harry graduated from high school in 1926 at high school in Duncan, B.C. . Harry was accepted to The University of California, Berkley, to study engineering. While in California, Harry often worked part-time jobs in construction, as a bouncer, and on cable cars. In 1928 he broke his ankle while working and used crutches for a while. After 1930 Harry returned to Vancouver. Worked for a friend in Evertt, Washington and worked on the Lions gate bridge and other engineering projects. He met his future wife, Jean Cairns, in Victoria in 1938 and became engaged in 1939, and then the war started.
