Happy birthday

One hundred years ago today, on 18th October 1908, the man in the photos was born.

William Yuill Young was my grandfather, and he was a sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the Scots Guards.

Having traced my family tree a bit, I have an idea of what his own ancestry was, but strangely, considering this and the fact that he died in 1972 so I do actually remember him, I don't really know that much about the man behind the photos.

I remember he was tall, tall anyway for our family at around six feet, and I remember he had tattoos on his hands of birds. Bluebirds I think. And I believe that's a traditional military thing of that era.

I understand that the photo of him on the motorcycle was taken in Pirbright camp in Surrey, probably some time during the second world war. Still haven't worked out what sort of bike it is!

Anyway, this would have been his 100th birthday. Happy birthday papa.


Unrelatedly, it's currently half past three in the morning and I can't sleep.

I'm off to San Diego today, and my flight from Glasgow to London is in four hours, then from London to Los Angeles four hours after that. It's going to be a long day, because I arrive in California just before 3pm local time and I guess I'll be awake for a while after that!