John Gough (1891–1917)

Gunner

Royal Field Artillery 84255 B Battery ; 123rd Brigade

Photo courtesy Michael Davies

John Gough in WW1

Biography
John Gough was born at Thurlow Booth, Crich in 1892, the son of John Henry and Sarah Ann Gough; he worked at Dawbarn’s joinery works, Whatstandwell . John was in the Royal Field Artillery and entered France in 1915 aged twenty-three. He was killed in action on 4th May 1917 and is buried at Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux.

On a seat at Coddington overlooking the valley towards Holloway (one of the most beautiful views in England) is this plaque –

Photo courtesy Peter Patilla

Plaque on a seat to John Gough

The J.G. is believed to be John Gough, the E.G. is believed to be Ernest Gregory who is also on the Roll of Honour.

Photo courtesy Michael Davies

John Gough

Studio photograph of John Gough

Newspaper Reports

Derbyshire Times 19 May 1917
Mr and Mrs Jno Hy Gough, who lately left Crich Parish to live at Belper, received the sad news on Saturday last that their son Gunner John Gough (R.F.A.) was killed in action. He has been two years in France is 24 years of age, single and previous to enlisting worked at Messrs Yalverton Dawbarns, Whatstandwell.

Derbyshire Courier 19 May 1917
DERBYSHIRE MEN ON THE ROLL OF HONOUR

newspaper photograph of John Gough in WW1
GUNNER J. GOUGH
Crich
Killed

Medal Index Record
He was awarded the Victory, British War and 15 Star Medals

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Name GOUGH, JOHN
Initials J
Nationality United Kingdom
Rank Gunner
Regiment/Service Royal Field Artillery
Unit "B" Bty. 123rd Bde.
Service No. 84255
Age 25
Date of Death 04/05/17
Additional Information Son of John Henry and Sarah Ann Gough, of 7, Field Row, Belper, Derby
Casualty type Commonwealth War Dead
Cemetery BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX

War Graves record for John Gough

Soldiers' Effects Book
John Gough; RFA13/123 Bde; Gunner 84255; died of wounds 4.5.19; War Gratuity £10; paid out to:
7.7.17 mother Sarah A 11d
25.8.17 mother Sarah A £10 3s 6d
24.10.19 mother Sarah A £10

Crich Front Lines memorial event
The following song by Martyn Offord was sung, to the tune "The Trees they Grow so High", at the November 2014 Crich Front Lines memorial event in the Glebe Field Centre in honour of John Gough and Ernest Gregory. The words imagins John and Ernest dreaming of this view in their last terrible moments from the seat bearing their initials overlooking the wonderful view from Coddington.

From the bench at Coddington

They sat upon a wooden bench and viewed the scene all round,
The sun was sat upon the hills and the mist upon the ground,
Blue shadows spread along the scarp where the woods were still and brown,
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

John Gough he watched the sheep below, his eyes were glazed and wide;
In the dressing camp of the Seventh Corps I lay and quietly cried,
Cried for this place as I drifted off that night in May I died.
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

On the Bocquoy Road there were no dales, no lambs, no cottage fires,
Just stumps of trees like splintered teeth, craters and tangled wires,
A churned up plain of endless mud stretched to Arras’s ruined spires,
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

There’s a canal as well where I was killed, Ernest Gregory softly said
Where our heavy guns pounded the Huns until they up and fled
And the Ozzies charged through rain and fog and the waters ran blood red
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

The victory ours by Bellenglise through shell holes, slime and rain,
Down muddy slopes through sap and lane we had him on the run,
But we went too far, our flank exposed, and ran into his guns
            And the two sat side by side remembering.

They sat upon the wooden bench and the trees were all in bud,
This was the scene they dreamed about as their eyes filled up with blood,
Blue shadows spread along the scarp where they lay face down in the mud
            And the two sat side by side remembering

CENSUS INFORMATION

1901: Crich Carr

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
John H Gough Head 37 Wire drawer Derby
Sarah A Gough wife 37   Darley Abbey
Alice M Gough daughter 11   Belper
John Gough son 9   Thurlow Booth
William S Gough son 5   Crich Carr
Isabella Gough daughter 3   Crich Carr
Agnes E Gough daughter 1   Crich Carr
Annie E Thompson step daughter 16 Hoisiery hand. Mill Sawmills
Annie M Bunting boarder 17 Hoisiery hand. Mill Crich Carr

RG13 piece 3231 folio 50 page 19

1911: Park Lodge, Fritchley

Forename Surname Relationship Age Occupation Where born
John Henry Gough Head 47 Wire drawer Derby
Sarah Ann Gough wife 47   Darley Abbey
John Gough son 19 Coal loader below ground Thurlow Booth
William Shysey Gough son 15 Warehouse boy Crich Carr
Isabella Gough daughter 13 Hosiery Mill Crich Carr
Agnes Emma Gough daughter 11 School Crich Carr
James Ernest Gough son 6 School Crich Carr
Gladys Gough daughter 4   Crich Carr

RG14PN20983 RG78PN1251 RD436 SD4 ED12 SN15