[1] When Hahn (who was Jewish) sought to leave the country following the rise to power of the Nazis, Winthrop Young's parents were amongst those who facilitated his escape to Britain.

[1] This experience triggered a lifelong love for sailing and the sea within Winthrop Young, and following the outbreak of war in 1939 he volunteered to serve in the Royal Navy.

[1] After his period of service as an officer with the Royal Navy during the Second World War[2] (where he reached the rank of Lieutenant Commander and took part in the Normandy landings), Winthrop Young decided against an education at university and instead began working at Imperial Chemical Industries in Birmingham.

[3] Kurt Hahn suggested that Winthrop Young move to Greece, become private tutor to Crown Prince Constantine, and establish a new school there.

[3] Winthrop Young returned to visit Gordonstoun and here he became acquainted with Roy McComish, the two men began a long lasting friendship and working relationship In 1953 an earthquake struck Greece, a disaster which caused the death of thousands of people and the destruction of many buildings.

Once they arrived at their destination of Argostoli, on the island of Cephalonia ,they set to work building a home for a number of elderly people who had been left homeless.

[6] In 1964 Winthrop Young became head of boarding at Schule Schloss Salem, the school where he had received his early education.