Young landed at Anzac Cove with the battalion on 25 April 1915 and soon gained prominence as a strong military leader. His 9th (Hawke's Bay) Company moved up Walker's Ridge and defended positions at the Nek from continual Ottoman attacks, in what has been described as some of the severest fighting during the first day of the landings. Young helped push back a series of Turkish counter-attacks on 27 April and supported New Zealand attempts to breakout from the Anzac perimeter on 3 May. He was placed in command of the Auckland Battalion after their near destruction at Helles during the fight at the Daisy Patch and promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel. Young led the Aucklanders during the August Offensive when they sustained significant casualties in an assault at the Pinnacle on 7 August in their bid to take Chunuk Bair.